Tree 15-40 m, 20-60 cm ø; bark pale to dark grey-brown, fissured to scaly. Branchlets initially densely fulvous to rufous-tomentose by adpressed stellate hairs and woolly tuft-hairs, later subglabrous, dark grey-brown, sparsely lenticellate; terminal buds ovoid, 3-5 by 2-3 mm, scales ovate. Stipules ovate to lanceolate, 3-5 by 2 mm. Leaves coriaceous, (6-) 10-15(-18) by (3-)4-6(-8) cm (index (2-)2½(-3½)), broadest at or below the middle; surfaces more or less discolorous, above greyish brown to dark chocolate-brown, dull to rarely glossy, initially sparsely pubescent by erect, woolly tuft-hairs especially on the midrib and nerves, soon glabrescent, beneath densely set with a thick cover of fulvous to rufous, adpressed stellate hairs and woolly tuft-hairs, the latter subglabrescent; base rounded-acute, very often asymmetrical, margin occasionally strongly recurved, top rounded and abruptly acute to more commonly ½-1½ cm acuminate, tips sharp, often oblique; midrib strongly prominent on both sides; nerves 9-11 pairs, prominent beneath, flat to impressed above, subparallel, at an angle of (45-) 60-70°, arcuating but not anastomosing towards the margin; reticulation lax, subscalariform, rather distinct beneath; petiole ½-1 cm, 1½-3 mm ø, terete, densely rufous pubescent. Inflorescence male or androgynous, in densely subterminal paniculate clusters, densely rufous stellate hairy; bracts and bracteoles ovate-acute, 1-2½ by ⅔-1 mm. Male rachis 7-15 cm, 2 mm ø; ♂ flowers in clusters of 3, stamens 10-12, filaments 2½-3 mm, anthers 0.3-0.4 mm long, pistillode subglobose, 1 mm ø. Androgynous rachis 5-10 cm, 2 mm ø; female flowers solitary, very rarely in clusters of 2-3, staminodes rather well-developed but not exceeding the perianth, styles 3-4, terete, 1½-2 mm, recurved. Ripe cupule sessile, cup-shaped, 1-2½ cm long, 2-3(-3½) cm ø; rim 1 mm thick, covering the basal part of the fruit; wall woody, 1-2 mm thick, inside densely fulvous tomentose by adpressed simple hairs, outside densely fulvous to rufous tomentose by adpressed stellate hairs; scales ovate with pointed, subulate tips, 1-3 mm long, alternate but concentrically set. Ripe fruit ovoid-conical, 2-3 cm long, 2-2½ cm ø, glabrous, chocolate-brown, top rounded, base rotundate, scar concave, 1½ cm ø; wall bony, 2-3 mm thick, for the greater part free from the cupule; cotyledons flat-convex.
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