Tree, 18-24 m by 25-50 cm ø. Branchlets initially angular and covered with dense fulvous tomentum, later glabrescent, rather sturdy, sparsely lenticellate; terminal bud ovoid-globose, 3 by 3 mm, scales ovate-acute 3 by 1-2 mm. Stipules 10 by 4 mm, elliptic with acute top. Leaves 9-17 by 3-6½ cm (index 2.1-3.2), widest at the middle to sometimes above; base rounded and abruptly acute, top sharply acute to acuminate; discolorous, above glossy (greenish) brown, glabrous, beneath dull brown, sparsely to densely covered with closely adpressed, stellate scales (magnification 30!) and, particularly on the nerves, with some longer simple or 2-3-fid hairs, sometimes late glabrescent; midrib strongly prominent beneath, slightly so above; nerves 10-15 pairs at an angle of 60-70°, ascending, parallel, arcuating and disappearing near the margin, prominent beneath, flattish above; reticulation fine, scalariform, obscure on both surfaces; petiole 1-3 cm, shallowly furrowed adaxially, with distinct basal joint. Male rachis 10-20 cm, bracts ovate-acute, thick-coriaceous, 1½-2 by 1-1½ mm, bracteoles membranous, smaller; ♂ flowers in clusters of 3-7, perianth lobes membranous, ovate-acute, 1 by 1 mm, densely hairy, stamens 12, filaments 1½-2 mm, anthers 0.2-0.25 mm long, pistillode 1½-2 mm ø. Female rachis 10-15 cm, 2-3 mm ø, bracts and bracteoles thick-coriaceous, broadly ovate-acute, 1-1½ by 1½-2 mm; ♀ flowers in clusters of 3, perianth lobes membranous, 0.7 by 0.7 mm, densely hairy on both sides, staminodes 12, rudimentary, styles 3, conical, slightly recurved, 1 mm. Young infructescence: rachis 15-20 cm, 3-5 mm ø, young cupule sessile, ovoid-globose, ½-l by ½ cm, the 4 spiny and 4 scaly sectors ± equal. Cupule (nearly ripe) on a stalk ½ cm long and wide, or subsessile with tapering base, ovoid-globose, 2-2½ cm through; wall 1 mm thick, inside hairy, outside fulvous pubescent, densely set with sturdy, recurved spines ½-1 cm long, in bundles and/or branched themselves, arranged in 4-6 concentric rows, except the top densely puberulous; dehiscence (always?) irregular. Fruit (only one of the 3 well-developed!) ovoid-conical with acute top, 1½-2 cm through, scar comparatively small, wall 1 mm thick, free part densely fulvous-pubescent; cotyledons flat-convex.
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