Small glabrous evergreen tree 4.5–8(–12) m. tall.. Leaf-lamina subcoriaceous, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, (2.3–)4–13 cm. long, (l.3–)2–5.5 cm. broad, acuminate, cuneate; petiole short and thick, ± 3 mm. long.. Flowers fleshy, in clusters on the old wood, each cluster being made up of numerous 3-flowered fascicles; pedicels 1.5–4 cm. long.. Calyx cupular, 12 mm. in diameter, closely adpressed to the corolla in bud, at first ± entire or irregularly 3–4-lobed but later tearing into a number (7 or so) of squarish irregular lobes.. Corolla white or rose, rather fleshy, conical in bud, dividing into 3–4 lobes or tearing irregularly into 3–4 subequal or unequal parts, with ribbed interior surfaces and irregular margins, finally curving back and falling off with the stamens attached, ± 3 cm. across.. Stamens very numerous, ± 6 mm. long.. Ovary globose, 4 mm. in diameter; style 9–10 mm. long.. Fruit woody, brown, globose, ± 2.8–3 cm. in diameter, 6-ribbed but probably not dehiscent.. Seeds ± 8, adhering in a globose mass, each elliptic, compressed, 9 mm. long, 7 mm. wide, 4.5 mm. thick, with an elliptic groove above and below which separates a smooth outer annular area from the central raised portions.. Fig. 1.
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