Small trees, 4-17 m tall; twigs 2-4 mm diam. Leaves: petioles 1-3 cm long, not swollen at base, not winged; lamina elliptic or oblong, 8-21 by 3-9 cm, subcoriaceous, base cuneate, margin entire, apex acuminate or cuspidate, lower surface glabrous; midrib prominulous above, prominent beneath, primary veins 8-15 pairs, brochidodromous, merging 2-5 mm from margin, prominulous on both surfaces, more so beneath, intercostal veins plane above, slightly prominent beneath. Cataphylls triangular, 5-7 by 3-4 mm. Inflorescences terminal spikes, pendulous, 30-77 cm, glabrous or slightly pulverulent, with c. 40 flowers; rachis 0.5-1 mm diam., longitudinally striate; bracts linear-lanceolate, 10-12 by 1.5-2 mm. Calyx closed in bud, separating into 2-3 equal lobes, 6-8 by 4-6 mm, ovate. Flowers sessile, hypanthium tetragonous, with 4 ribs, 3-4 by 1-2 mm, glabrous; sepals 2-3, ovate, 6-8 by 4-6 mm, glabrous, mucronate; petals 4, elliptic, 11-13 by 6-8 mm, pink or red; staminal whorls 3-4, the inner one staminodal, staminal tube 1-2 mm, staminodia 11-13 mm; disc thick, 0.5-2 mm high; ovary 3(-4)-locular, 1-2 ovules per locule; style 2.25-2.75 cm long. Fruits ovoid, slightly tapering at both ends, 4.5-7 by 2-3 by 2-3 cm, 4-5-ribbed. Seeds ovoid, c. 2.75 by 2 cm.