Small to medium, heteroblastic tree to 20 m high, to 30 cm d.b.h.; bark smooth, grey with a papery outer layer, lenticels prominent, corky; older stems white, flaky. New shoots green-brown ridged. Leaves with very broad angle of secondary venation. Leaves at juvenile stages whorled, often larger than adult leaves, persisting several years; lamina 150–200 mm long, 45–55 mm wide, margin angular-dentate with points ending in a bristle (Holly-like); petiole to 8 mm long. Leaves at adult stages mainly alternate; lamina unevenly elliptic, 110–130 mm long, 32–42 mm wide, thick, coriaceous, glossy green, secondary venation areolate, margin entire, undulate, rarely with bristles, drip-tip less than 10 mm long; petiole to 10 mm long. Inflorescences corymbs with masses of white, aromatic flowers; primary rachis 20–35 mm long; leaf-like bracts linear, to 10 mm long, caducous; peduncles 5–7 mm long; pedicels 4–5 mm long. Sepals unequal, to 3.5 mm long, spreading, yellow-green. Petals slightly spathulate, 7–8 mm long, spreading, white. Stamens free and not cohering; filaments fusiform, longer than anthers, white; anthers slightly unequal, yellow. Pistil green, with gynophore about the same length as style, all ridged; ovary globose, completely bilocular with prominent resin ducts visible in the septum. Fruit a loculicidally dehiscent capsule, ± globular but slightly wider than long, c. 6 mm long, c. 8 mm diam., with stout stalk, persisting; epicarp bullate, orange-red; endocarp deeper red-orange, funicles inserted towards the base. Seeds 1 or 2 per chamber, black.
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