Shrub or tree, 3-15 m tall. Branchlets initially densely set with rufous, adpressed stellate hairs, later glabrous, greyish to blackish brown, sparsely lenticellate; terminal buds ovoid, 1-2 by 1 mm, scales ovate-acute. Stipules broadly ovate to deltoid, c. ⅓ by ½ mm. Leaves thick-coriaceous, rigid, (6-)8-10(-12) by 3-5 cm (index (1.6-)2(-3)), broadest at or below the middle; above glabrous, glossy, dark chocolate-brown, underneath densely glaucous tomentose by adpressed, minute, stellate hairs; base acute to cuneate, margin recurved, top 1-2 cm acuminate-caudate, tip blunt or sharp; midrib strongly prominent on both sides; nerves (7-)9-10(-14) pairs, obscure, subparallel at an angle of c. 45°, arcuating and anastomosing near the margin; reticulation fine, subscalariform, obscure; petiole (5-)10-13 (-16) mm, 1-2 mm ø, glabrous, adaxially flat. Inflorescence male, androgynous or mixed, densely tomentose by greyish to rufous, adpressed stellate hairs; bracts and bracteoles ovate, ½-⅔ by ½ mm. Male rachis 10 cm, 1½ mm ø, simple and axillary or much-branched and subterminal; ♂ flowers solitary or in clusters of 2-3, perianth 5-6-lobed, stamens 10-12, filaments 2 mm, anthers 0.35 mm long, pistillode globose, c. 1 mm ø. Androgynous or mixed rachis 6 cm, 1-2 mm ø; female flowers solitary, staminodes rudimentary, styles 3-4, conical, 1 mm. Fruiting rachis up to 20 cm, with numerous cupules. Ripe cupule 3-5 mm stalked, cup-shaped, 0.6-1 cm long, 2-2½ cm ø; rim 1½-2 mm thick, covering ¼-⅓ part of the fruit; wall woody, 2-3 mm thick, inside densely greyish brown adpressed-tomentose by simple hairs, outside densely greyish tomentose by adpressed, minute stellate hairs; lamellae 8-10, concentric, entire or distantly denticulate. Ripe fruit ovoid-conical, 17-25 mm long, 17-20 mm ø, glabrous, dark chocolate-brown, top acute, base rotundate, scar deeply concave, 1-1½ cm ø; wall bony, 1-2 mm thick, for the greater part free from the cupule.
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