Trees 10-15(-20) m tall; branches, leaf blades, and rachis of inflorescences glabrous. Petiole ca. 1 cm; leaf blade ovate, ovate-elliptic, or lanceolate, 7-14 × 2.5-5 cm, leathery, base rounded to acute and oblique or symmetric, margin serrulate or entire, apex acute and bent; midvein adaxially flat; secondary veins 9-13 on each side of midvein. Female flowers 2 or 3 per cupule. Infructescences ca. 15 cm. Cupule subglobose, sometimes broadly ovoid when young, 3-3.5 cm in diam., splitting into 4 segments, outside and bracts pubescent and with brown, small, lamellate, waxy scalelike trichomes, wall 2-3.5 mm thick; bracts spinelike, ca. 7 mm, basally conate and transversely united to 4-6-cristate rings or basally connate into bundles. Nuts 1-3 per cupule, conical, 1-1.5 cm in diam., densely pubescent; scar basal. Fl. Apr-May, fr. Sep-Nov of following year.
Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.