Shrub or small tree. Leaves membranous; blade 7-12 X 1.5-3 cm, elliptic to lanceolate, the upper surface sometimes shiny, the base rounded, the margin serrate (sometimes obscurely so), the apex somewhat acuminate and often mucro-nate. Inflorescence a raceme of groups of male flowers, female usually solitary. Staminate flowers in groups of 3-5, the subtending biglandular bract at or near the base of the peduncle; calyx gamosepalous, the broad lobes fused for most of their length; stamens 15-25. Pistillate flowers 2-5, solitary at basal nodes, a single male flower sometimes sharing the node, subtending bract eglandular; sepals 6, 3 much larger than the others. Capsule ovoid, to 16 mm long; seed ovoid, to 10 cm long, some-what laterally compressed, dark brown, smooth.
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