Tree, (8-)15-36 m, trunk up to ½ m ø, rarely with thin buttresses; bark grey-brown, irregularly fissured. Branchlets smooth or striate, older parts lengthwise set with elongate lenticels. Leaves elliptic to oblong-or ovate-elliptic, variable in shape and size, apex generally short-acuminate (tip subacute and often plicate then), or obtuse-rounded, base broadly attenuate to rounded, often subequal, coriaceous, shining above, (6-)10-24(30) by (3−)5−13(−17) cm, nerves (4-)5-6 curved-ascendent and anastomosing pairs, lower 1(-2) rather close to the base of the lamina, slightly impressed above, much raised beneath, reticulation fine to rather coarse, a little prominent above, more distinctly so beneath; petiole 6-15 by 2-3 mm. Panicles terminal, greyish-rusty hirsutu-lous, mostly solitary and spike-like initially, sometimes 2 or 3 forming a ± pyramidal inflorescence, lateral branches of the single panicles of ± the same length (0.5-2 cm), mostly 2-(rarely more-) forked, each branch recurved and bearing several flowers arranged in a cyme. Flowers bisexual, fragrant. Calyx c. 1.8 mm, lobes ciliate. Petals elliptic-oblong, white to cream, or sometimes suffused with red, (4-)5(-6) mm at full anthesis, midrib inside raised considerably, sometimes almost wing-like in the lower ½−¾ part. Filaments thick-subulate, c. 3 mm; anthers ovate-elliptic or subcordate, 1 mm. Ovary ovoid, glabrous, style 1-2 mm, stigma small, a little oblique. Drupe ellipsoid to oblongoid (subcylin-drical), sometimes a little oblique, (1.6-)1.8-2.2(-2.4) by 0.9-1.2(-1.3) cm, smooth or irregularly lengthwise, very slightly many-ribbed in the lower part, purple when ripe, blackish when dry.
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