Small pachycaul trees, initially monopodial, 5-10 m tall; adventitious roots from stem at the base of the leaf whorls. Leaves: lamina sessile or subsessile, oblanceolate, 35-66 by 8-15 cm, chartaceous, base cuneate, tapering, margin entire, apex acuminate, acumen 1-2.5 cm long, lower surface glabrous; midrib prominent on both surfaces, primary veins 30-40 pairs, brochidodromous, forming arched marginal vein 2-5 mm from margin, prominulous on both surfaces, more so beneath, intercostal veins prominulous on both surfaces, finely reticulate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary spikes, 6-40 cm long, more or less erect in flower, becoming pendulous in fruit. Calyx open in bud. Flowers with pedicels 2-7 mm long; hypanthium tetragonous, puberulous; petals yellow; staminal whorls 3-4, staminal tube less than 1 mm high; disc a ring around the style base, c. 0.5 mm high; ovary 4-locular; style 1.2-2.5 cm long. Fruits narrowly ellipsoid, tapering to base, c. 5 by 2 cm, 4-angled. Seeds single.
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