Tree, up to 20 m by 10-30 cm ø; bark shallowly fissured or scaly, greyish brown. Branchlets initially densely set with brownish erect stellate hairs, later subglabrous, greyish black, terete, densely minute-lenticellate; terminal bud ovoid-globose or compressed ovoid, 3-4 by 1½-3 mm, scale ovate-acute. Phyllotaxis with a tendency to distichy. Leaves thin-coriaceous, elliptic-lanceolate, rarely ovate-elliptic, (7-) 10-15(-24) by (2½-)4-5(-8) cm, discolorous, above glabrous, glossy, underneath with a dense cover of chocolate-brown fimbriate scales and erect stellate hairs; base rounded and abruptly acute or cuneate, margin entire, recurved, apex acute or more commonly ½-1½ cm, acuminate, with a sharp tip; midrib and nerves thinly prominent beneath, flattish or impressed above; nerves 8-15 pairs, subparallel, ascending at an angle of 45-60°, arcuating but not anastomosing towards the margin; reticulation fine, sub-scalariform, obscure on both surfaces; petiole 1-1½ cm by 1 mm, thickened and rugose at base, adaxially shallowly furrowed. Male rachises solitary or more commonly in paniculate clusters, 10-15 cm; bracts ovate acute, membranous, 1-1½ mm; ♂ flowers in clusters of 3; perianth deeply incised, lobes 6, membranous, c. 1 mm, stamens mostly 12, filaments 2½-3½ mm, anthers 0.2-0.25 mm long, pistillode subglobose, 1.2-1.5 mm ø. Female rachis 10-15 cm; ♀ flowers solitary, perianth membranous, 6-lobed, stami-nodes 12, well developed and exceeding the perianth, styles 3, cylindrical, recurved, 2-2½ mm. Infructescence 10-25 cm, rachis terete, densely minute-lenticellate, carrying 10-20 cupules. Cupule sessile, asymmetrically compressed ovoid-conical, 1-2 cm through, wall thin, completely enclosing the fruit except for the rather long persistent perianth and styles; spines sparsely set in 4-5 curving rows, sharp, 3-5 mm; dehiscence irregular. Fruit ovoid-conical, more or less rounded-triangular in cross-section, 1-1½ cm; free part occupying the greater surface, densely yellowish brown simple-tomentose, base rounded, scar flat or convex, rugose, glabrous.
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