Tree, 20-30 m by 40-60 cm ø. Branchlets initially with a tomentum of fulvous stellate hairs of various size, later glabrescent, mostly slender, dark purplish brown, smooth, sparsely lenticellate; terminal bud ellipsoid, 5-7 by 2-3 mm, scales linear-acute, 5-6 by 1-2 mm, hairy. Stipules linear-acute, 5-7 by 1-2 mm, hairy. Leaves chartaceous, 5-9 by 1½-3 cm (index 2.5-4.6), widest at the middle to slightly below; base attenuate-acute to seldom nearly rounded, top gradually acuminate with a sharp to blunt tip ½-1 cm; surfaces ± dis-colorous, above glabrous and rather dull, beneath densely to very sparsely set with stellate scales (magnification to 60!), their nucleus often orangish, and on the nerves, particularly when young, long simple hairs; midrib ± prominent on both surfaces; nerves 8-10 pairs at an angle of 45-60°, ascending, parallel, arcuating towards the margin, thin; reticulation ± scalariform, fine, dense, obscure on both surfaces; petiole 3-10 mm, adaxially flat. Male rachis 5-10 cm by 1 mm ø; bracts and bracteoles ovate-acute; ♂ flowers in clusters of 3-7, perianth lobes ovate-acute, 1 by 1 mm, densely tomentose outside, stamens 12, filaments 1-1½ mm, anthers 0.2 mm long, pistil-lode 1 mm ø. Female rachis 3-5 cm long, 1 mm ø, bracts and bracteoles ovate-acute; ♀ flowers in clusters of 3, perianth lobes ½ mm long, densely stellate-tomentose outside, staminodes 12, rudimentary, styles 3, conical, 1 mm. Young infructescence: rachis 5-7 cm by 2 mm ø, carrying 1-8 young cupules ovoid-globose, sessile, 5 by 5 mm, outside with 4 distinct clusters of short spines alternating with the scaly later sutures. Fruits 3, immature, completely enclosed by the cupule.
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