Shrubs or small trees, 1.5-3(-6) m tall. Branchlets robust, 4-angled, densely yellow-brown puberulent when young, glabrescent. Petiole 2-20 cm; leaf blade broadly ovate to elliptic-cordate, 7-17 6-21 cm, papery, abaxially puberulent and with several peltate glands near base, adaxially sparsely pubescent to subglabrous, base cuneate to cordate, margin entire to slightly undulate, apex acuminate to acute. Inflorescences terminal corymbose cymes, 4-6-branched; peduncle robust, 1.5-13 cm; bracts lanceolate, ca. 1.5 cm, deciduous. Calyx campanulate, 3-5 mm, tube 1-3 mm, densely pubescent, with several peltate glands; teeth triangular, less than 1 mm. Corolla white or rarely pinkish, tube 1.2-2.5 cm, without glands; lobes oblong, 3-6 mm. Stamens and style exserted. Fruiting calyx purple, inflated. Drupes blue-green, becoming black when dry, subglobose, ca. 1 cm in diam. Fl. and fr. Aug-Dec.