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Leaves opposite (rarely in whorls of 3), ± coriaceous, petiolate; lamina (2) 4–11 × (1) 1·5–6 cm., very variable in size, shape and texture, lanceolate or oblanceolate to broadly ovate or obovate, acute to rounded-apiculate at the apex, cuneate to rounded at the base, dark bluish-or yellowish-green above, paler below, flat or ± bullate, with main lateral veins prominent on both sides, tertiary venation usually ± prominent above, margins sometimes incrassate, and with branched translucent glandular canals visible in the young leaves at least, and longitudinal opaque canals visible below; petiole 3–18 mm. long and grooved above, transversely wrinkled; ligule prominent.
A small branched tree. It grows to 20 m tall. The bark is dark grey and smooth. The leaves are simple and opposite or in rings. The leaf stalk is 18 mm long and has wings. The leaf blade is small and 4-20 cm long by 2-8 cm wide. They are oval and wedge shaped or rounded at the base and taper to the tip. The flower are cream, white or pink. They are in groups in the axils of the leaves. The fruit are green and turn yellow or orange as they ripen. They are oval and 1-3 cm across.
Much-branched glabrous evergreen tree or shrub, (2) 4–20 m. high; branches often forming a wide angle with the stem, stiff, grooved or winged, usually ± flattened at first, eventually ± quadrangular or cylindric (triangular when leaves are whorled); bark grey-brown.
Male flowers with 5 spongy fasciclodes uniting in the centre of the flower, alternating with 5 fascicles each of 5–9 stamens with cream filaments united for most of their length and bearing brown or red anthers.
Petals 5, 4–9 mm. long, c. 4–5 times as long as the sepals, ± carnose, orbicular to broadly obovate, cream to greenish-white, sometimes tinged with pink, with yellowish glandular canals radiating from the base.
Inflorescence terminal, cymose, loosely branched or;: condensed; branches quadrangular or ± flattened; peduncle up to 4 cm. or absent; bracts scale-like, carinate.
Female flowers with small fasciclodes alternating with staminode-fascicles; ovary 2–4-locular, pale green or yellowish; stigma 5-lobed, peltate.
Sepals 5, ± unequal, coriaceous, carinate, orbicular to triangular-ovate, with the margin often ± papillose.
Flowers dioecious, numerous to single, pedicellate, rarely almost sessile, globose or campanulate.
Berry globose, ovoid, or 2–4 lobed, 1–3 cm. in diam., dark green turning yellow, 1–4-seeded.
Seeds ovoid, 1–2 (3) cm. long.
