Tree, up to 20 m high. Leaves elliptic-oblong, ca 15-20-nerved, 10-25 by 4-11 cm, with acuminate apex with ca 1 cm long acumen, acute to obtuse base, and slightly dentate margin, most strongly so in the upper part of the leaf. Petiole 2-4½ cm long, with lanceolate, 4-6 mm broad wings; wings vil-lose-pubescent beneath, caducous. Inflorescence either a terminal, 2-4-flowered, up to 10 cm long raceme, or cauline with a woody, sparingly branched axis with flowers solitary or in 2-flowered racemes terminal on this sympodially built axis. Cauline inflorescence with ovate bracts, representing the winged petiole of the normally developed leaf, conduplicate, ca 10-20 mm long, 2 × 5-10 mm broad, amplexicaul, leaving amplexicaul scars on the axis. Flowers ca 6 cm diam. Sepals 5, elliptic, ca 20 by 16 mm. Petals whitish, 30 by 13 mm. Stamens in 2 distinct groups, the outer ones ca 160, 5-5½ mm long, straight in bud, the inner ones ca 25, 7-8½ mm long, with their apex reflexed in bud. Carpels 8-10, ca 6 by 3 mm with cylindrical, 7 mm long styles, each with 6-8 ovules. Fruit indehiscent, globular, ca 2½ cm diam. including the enclosing sepals, which are up to 30 by 30 mm, at the base 0.4 mm thick. Carpels ca 15 by 9 mm, 1-seeded. Seeds obovate, 5 by 3½ mm, exarillate.
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