Tree, (4-)10-18(-30) m; young branchlets initially covered with rusty, fascicled and simple hairs, soon glabrescent. Leaves oblong to broadly-oblong, +-abruptly acuminate, mostly inequilateral at the base, subcoriaceous, first laxly fasciculate-pilose on midrib and nerves, specially beneath, later glabrous, shining and olivaceous or brown above when dry, dull red-brown beneath, 15-30 by 6-9 cm; midrib little prominent above, manifestly so beneath, nerves mostly a little impressed above, very prominent beneath, reticulations distinct only beneath; petiole 1½ cm. Stipules ovate-lanceolate, 7 by 2 mm, pubescent, rather early caducous. Cymes rusty-tomentose all over, reduced to (2-)3 or 4 'white and yellow' or greenish-white, fragrant flowers; peduncle 3-6 mm only, stout. Pedicels of the ♂ flowers rather slender 1.5-2 cm, those of the female ones shorter and stouter, c. 5 by 2 mm. Sepals ovate, 10-12 by 6 mm, finely and densely ferrugineous-tomentose outside, greyish-pubescent inside. Petals white to yellowish, oblong, rather dark-purple when dry, glabrous, involute, 12-15 by 4 mm; scales lanceolate, 10 by 2 mm, pilose towards the apex. ♂ Flowers: filaments thick, elongate-triangular, 5 mm; anthers oblong-subsagittate, 5 mm. Rudiment of ovary hirsute. ♀ Flowers: filaments deltoid, 1.5 mm, fleshy; anthers 0. Ovary elongate-ovoid, yellowish-tomentose, cylindrically contracted towards the apex; stigma nearly peltate, lobes very short. Fruit depressed-ovoid or bottle-shaped, contracted at the apex or apiculate, fulvous-tomentose, 6-8 by c. 4 cm when fully developed, upper attenuate part 1-1.5 cm long; pericarp thin. Seeds 8-10, c. 2 cm across.
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