Home
Shrubs 1-1.5 m tall, all parts apparently glabrous (inflorescences very minutely papillate). Branches elongated. Leaves opposite (or subopposite); petiole 5-15(-20) mm; leaf blade ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 5-12(-18) × (1.5-)3-4.5(-6) cm, papery to thinly leathery, lateral veins conspicuous, base broadly cuneate to rounded, apex acute to acuminate. Racemes solitary or paired, axillary, sometimes at leafless node, 40-60-flowered, 5-10(-30) cm, dull brown or gray papillose; bracts subovate or ovate-triangular (0.7-)1-1.5 mm. Flowers 5-merous; sometimes verticillate. Pedicel 1-2 mm. Calyx ellipsoid, 1.5-2 mm, limb annular, ca. 0.5 mm, entire or 5-denticulate. Mature bud with basal 1/3-1/2 abruptly expanded into 5 prominent semicircular keels, distal portion clavate. Corolla red, pink, or yellowish, petals (4-)6-8 mm, reflexed from above basal keels. Filaments 1-2.5 mm; anthers 4-loculed, 1-1.5(-2.5) mm. Style cylindric, 5-angled, constricted in middle, 3-6 mm; stigma capitate. Berry red, ellipsoid, ca. 6 × 4 mm, papillose. Fl. Jan-Jul, fr. May-Aug.
It is a parasite that grows over other trees and can kill them. It is a woody plant. The branches are up to 1.5 m long. The leaves are opposite and papery. They are oval and 5-12 cm long by 3-5 cm wide. The flowers are red or pink or yellow. They have short stalks. There are 40-60 flowers in spike like groups in the axils of leaves. These are 5-10 cm long. The fruit are red and oblong. They are 6 mm long by 4 mm wide. They are densely hairy.
