A monoecious, sometimes semi-scandent shrub or small tree up to 7.5 m. tall, but more usually 3–5 m. tall.. Young shoots densely fulvous to ferruginous stellate-tomentose, in the following season becoming quite glabrous and pale grey or grey-brown.. Petioles 1–4 cm. long, ferruginous to grey velvety-tomentose; leaf-blade ovate, ovate-lanceolate, oblong-ovate or oblong-elliptic, or in the first leaves of a flush somewhat obovate, (3–)5–8(–13) cm. long, (1.5–)3–6(–7) cm. wide, usually somewhat abruptly and acutely acuminate, the acumen being curved to one side, subcuneate, rounded or slightly cordate or cordulate, the 2 basal glands beneath small and sessile, subentire or minutely glandular-toothed, rigidly membranous to thinly chartaceous, 5–7-nerved from the base, remaining lateral nerves 4–6(–7) pairs, midrib and nerves prominent beneath, tertiary nerves subparallel, densely fulvous to ferruginous stellate-tomentose above and beneath at first, later becoming evenly or sparingly stellate-pubescent above and fairly densely or evenly so beneath, dark green above, paler beneath.. Stipules linear-subulate or filiform, 3–6 mm. long, sparingly to evenly stellate-pubescent, readily caducous.. Late-season axillary buds ovoid, 7 mm. long, 4-perulate, densely tomentose.. Racemes terminal or subterminal, up to 12 cm. long, the lower third-half ♀, the upper half-two-thirds ♂, axis fulvous to ferruginous stellate-tomentose; bracts linear, 3–5 mm. long, evenly stellate-pubescent.. Male flowers: pedicels 4–5 mm. long, evenly stellate-pubescent; sepals 5, elliptic-ovate, 2 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, fulvous to ferruginous stellate-pubescent without, glabrous within, greenish; petals 5, oblong-obovate, equalling the sepals, puberulous at the base and apex, creamy-yellow or whitish; disc-glands free, rounded; stamens 15, filaments 2 mm. long, glabrous, anthers 1 mm. long; receptacle pilose.. Female flowers: pedicels 0.5–1 mm. long, densely stellate-pubescent; sepals 5, linear-lanceolate, 3 mm. long, 0.5–1 mm. wide, sparingly stellate-pubescent without, glabrous within, greenish; petals 0, single stellate hairs occupying their expected points of insertion; disc 5-lobed, the lobes rounded, flat, glabrous; ovary subglobose, 1.5 mm. diameter, densely fulvous to ferruginous stellate-tomentose; styles 3, spreading, 3 mm. long, slightly pubescent at the base, bilobed, the lobes linear, 2 mm. long, glabrous.. Fruit 3-lobed, 6 mm. long, 6 mm. diameter, septicidal, evenly brownish stellate-pubescent.. Seeds broadly ovoid, 4–5 mm. long, 3–3.5 mm. wide, dark brown, with a flattened caruncle 1.5 mm. wide.
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