Tree or shrub to 8 m tall, sometimes epiphytic, twigs stout, drying deeply furrowed, hollow, ultimate twigs often drying reddish with minute transverse exfoliation. Leaves large and coriaceous, obovate, apically rounded, basally cu-neate and narrowed into the winged petiolar region; the costa prominent but somewhat evanescent distally, the lateral veins numerous, ascending, straight except at the margin, sometimes appearing in two series, the minor venation obscure; petiole wanting, the petiolar area winged and cucullate, the wings con-tinuing into the stem area and connate there. Inflorescences terminal, several-many-flowered condensed cymose panicles held above the foliage, peduncle stout, straight, to ca. 9 cm long, sometimes branched, the elements subtended by thick cucullate, clasping bracts 2-3 cm long, 1-1.75 cm wide the inflorescences thus appearing umbellate or whorled; pedicels obsolete, each bearing a broad bract 5-7 mm long. Flowers white, slightly fragrant, 12-15 mm across; buds greenish white, ellipsoidal, sepals ca. 4, rotund, about equal, remaining in the shape of a cup, the margins thin, ca. 7 mm long; petals 5-6, overtopping the stamens in bud, expanding to about twice as long as the sepals; stamens numerous (ca. 52), 4-5 mm long, the filaments rudimentary, the connective conspicuous, inserted on a convex receptacle 3-4 mm across, in pistillate flowers the androe-cium reduced to 5 distinct short obtuse teeth; ovary turbinate, the 5-6 carpels fused to near the top or free more than halfway down, the stigmas dark, proximal to form a cone on top of the ovary, the ovules numerous. Fruit turbinoid to subcylindrical, 2.5-3 cm long, 1.5-2 cm wide, the valves white inside, opening to display the seeds which are aggregated in caducous, orange covered ellipsoidal masses.
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