Tree up to 45 m high and 60 cm diam. Twigs glabrous, rather thick, terminal buds sometimes with a tuft of hairs on the apex; stipules glabrous, c. 2 cm. Leaves glabrous, the undersurface densely punctu-late, often glaucous, obovate, 12-23 by 5-10 cm; acumen 3-7 mm with blunt tip; base acute, decur-rent with two ridges into the petiole; midrib much prominent on the undersurface; nerves in 15-20 pairs, distinct on both surfaces, slightly prominent below, hardly or not above; reticulation distinctly fine netted but hardly prominent on both surfaces. Petiole 2.5-5 cm, often thickened towards the base. Brachyblast glabrous, 2.5-3 cm (-4 cm in fruit); pedicel glabrous, 7-8 mm. Spathaceous bracts not seen. Outer tepals 4, ± linear, 5 by 0.6-0.8 cm; inner tepals 8, linear, 4.5 by 1 (the outermost) to 0.6 (the innermost) cm. Stamens c. 50, filament c. 1 mm, anthers 9-10 mm, connective appendage ± triangular, c. 2.5 mm long; gynophore distinct; carpels many (more than 100). Fruits ellipsoid, ovoid or pear-shaped, 8-9 by c. 4 cm, pedicel, scars of perianth and stamens, and gynophore all c. 5 mm long or gynophore up to 10 mm.
Very rare (only 8 collections), on yellow sandy soil (once recorded); low, up to 500 m. Fl. May-June; fr. Aug.-Sept. (both twice recorded).