Slender tree, rarely erect shrub, (2-)6-20(-30) m, rather sparsely and ± horizontally branched; trunk with several small grooves, 3-15 (-30) cm ø; bark rather smooth, mottled, light to dark greyish-brown. Branchlets slender, practically glabrous as are the leaves. Leaves ovate or ovate-elliptic, sometimes elliptic and even oblong, apex shortly acuminate, top blunt, base cuneate to rounded, slightly inequilateral, subcoriaceous to coriaceous, dark green to olivaceous and shining above, paler and ± dull beneath, (10-)12-20(-28) by 6-12(-19) cm, midrib a little depressed above, much prominent beneath, nerves (4-)5-7(-8) rather steeply curved-ascendent pairs, only the upper ones somewhat looping, raised within a depression in dry specimens above, prominent beneath, reticulation rather dense, often obscure in dry specimens, or slightly depressed above, or a little raised on both faces; petiole 4-8(-10) by 1.5-2(-3) mm. ♂ Spikes 1-4 (rarely-8) from a foliate or mostly already defoliate axil, or from tubercles on branchlets and branches, slender, (3-)5-15(-30) cm, flowers numerous, laxly arranged, sparsely appressedly short-hairy or subglabrous. Calyx lobes ovate, ciliate, greenish-brown, 1.5(-2)mm. Petals narrowly ovate-acuminate, united in the lower third or half, cup-like expanding at full anthesis, slightly keeled and all over set with papillose emergences inside, white to cream or greenish, sometimes pinkish, fragrant, (4-)5-6 by 2-2.5 mm. Filaments somewhat dilated towards the base, fleshy, 1.5-2 mm; anther cells elongate-oblong, 2-2.5 mm. Rudiment of ovary hairy. ♀ Spikes generally shorter than the ♂ ones. Calyx less deeply lobed, (2-)3 mm. Petals 6-7 by 2-2.5 mm. Anther cells 1 mm, devoid of pollen. Ovary ovoid, densely fulvous-hairy; stigma rather large, pad-like. Drupe ellipsoid or obovoid, or obovoid-oblongoid, sometimes almost globular, often somewhat angular or laterally compressed, finally quite glabrous and shining, orange to reddish, (3-)4-5(-6.5) by 2-3(-4.5) by 2-3.5 cm; exocarp spongious, with adstringent sap, finally dissolute, c. 3 mm; endocarp hard, 1(-2) mm thick, with few to numerous irregular longitudinal sharp crests 1-5 mm high, ± marked in the immature fruit by the drying process, abortive loculus practically absent. Seed pear-shaped or ellipsoid.
In second storey of primary rain-forest, mostly on hill slopes, also in ± open secondary growth or sunny slopes, in coastal and swamp forest, often near creeks or temporarily inundated river flats, on clayey soil, scattered, though locally common, from sea-level up to c. 1200, in New Guinea up to 1650 m.
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