A monoecious deciduous shrub or small tree (1.5–)2.5–6(–12) m. high with spreading branches, and with profuse white poisonous latex.. Bark brownish grey and lenticellate on the branches, grey and smooth or rough on the main trunk.. Twigs stout, tawny to greyish brown.. Perulae of buds ovate, subacute, pinkish brown, variable in size.. Leaves alternate, with adaxially shallowly canaliculate petioles (3–)5–10 mm. long; leaf-blades obovate, elliptic-obovate or elliptic-rhombate, occasionally elliptic-oblong, (2–)5–20 cm. long, (1–)2–8(–12) cm. wide, shortly obtusely acuminate, occa- sionally more markedly acutely acuminate, cuneate, decurrent on to the petiole, crenulate, firmly chartaceous to thinly coriaceous, lateral nerves (9–)12–17(–20) pairs, camptodromous, impressed above and prominent beneath, tertiary nerve-network somewhat pellucid, dark green and glossy, later becoming bright yellow-green.. Stipules ovate-lanceolate, 0.7–1 mm. long, acutely acuminate, slightly laciniate, readily caducous.. Inflorescences terminal, or sometimes axillary in the upper leaf-axils, solitary, spicate, 4–8(–11) cm. long, shortly pedunculate, fairly stout, bisexual and mostly male with 1(–2) ♀ flowers near the base, rarely ♂ only.. Male flowers: bracts orbicular-ovate to broadly ovate, 1.5 mm. across, apiculate, denticulate, not thickened, lax, 1-flowered, with a large oblong basal gland on each side; bracteoles minute, laciniate; sepals 3, oblong-lanceolate, 1.3 mm. long, subacute, inflexed at the tip, minutely denticulate, yellow-green or yellow; stamens 3, 2–3 mm. long, anthers 0.8 mm. long.. Female flowers: bracts ovate-lanceolate, 2 mm. long, aristate, fimbriate, with two large suborbicular glands on each side at the base; bracteoles 2, very irregular in outline, 1 mm. long, partly laciniate, partly repand-denticulate; sepals 3, elliptic-oblong, 3 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, mucronulate, laciniate-fimbriate; ovary ellipsoid-subglobose, scarcely trilobate, 2 mm. diameter, smooth; styles 3, connate at the base.. Fruit large, inflated, thinly crustaceous, trilobate, with a shallow ridge or keel on each valve, (3–)3.5–4.5 cm. long, (3–)5–6.5 cm. diameter, ± smooth but for the slightly raised openly reticulate vein-pattern, pale green and reddish tinged when immature, later becoming yellowish brown, tardily dehiscent. Columella 2–3 cm. long.. Seeds ovoid-subglobose, 1.1–1.7 cm. diameter, smooth, dark reddish brown, flecked and mottled with darker brown.
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Leaf blades 7–25 × 3–10 cm, obovate or elliptic-obovate, acuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, crenulate, firmly chartaceous, dark green and glossy at first, later becoming bright yellowish-green, sometimes reddish-tinged; lateral nerves in 10–15 pairs.
Female flowers: sepals 3 × 1 mm, elliptic-oblong, mucronulate, otherwise ± as in male flowers; ovary 2 mm in diameter, ellipsoid-subglobose, smooth; styles 3, connate at the base.
Inflorescences terminal, 2–13 cm long, lax, shortly pedunculate; male bracts 1.5 mm across, orbicular-ovate, apiculate; female bracts 2 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, aristate.
A deciduous shrub or small tree, sometimes multistemmed, up to 13 m in height, with a dense, rounded crown and white poisonous latex, monoecious.
Male flowers: sepals 3, c. 1 mm long, oblong-lanceolate, subacute, yellow or yellowish-green; stamens 2–3 mm long, anthers c. 1 mm long, yellow.
Fruit 4–5 × 5–7 cm, 3-lobed, inflated, crustaceous, ridged on each valve, otherwise ± smooth, green at first, later yellowish.
Bark light brown, dark brown, chestnut or purple-grey and fissured on the bole, pale grey and smooth on the branches.
Seeds c. 12 mm in diameter, ovoid-subglobose, smooth, fawn, mottled brown.
Buds perulate (furnished with protective scales).Leaves alternate.
Stipules c. 1 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, soon falling.
Petioles 0.5–2 cm long, adaxially canaliculate.
Twigs fairly stout, light brown, lenticellate.
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