Shrub or treelet, or tree to 23 m (-50 m, once re-corded) high by 43(-50) cm diam. Twigs long yellow-ish pubescent or pilose, or sometimes glabrous, gla-brescent when older; stipules densely yellowish ap-pressedly to patently long soft hairy, rarely nearly glabrous, 3-9 cm. Leaves appressedly or patently pubescent, especially on midrib and nerves, often glabrescent, or glabrous below, ± elliptic to narrow-ly obovate, 12-25 by 3-9 cm; base acute; acumen c. 5-15 mm; midrib much prominent below; nerves in 12-22 pairs, much prominent in the undersurface, less so above; intramarginal vein prominent on both surfaces; reticulation densely netted and much prominent on both surfaces. Petiole 5-15 mm. Brachyblast appressedly pubescent, rarely (nearly) glabrous, often very slender, 2.5-8 cm long; pedicel absent; spathaceous bracts only one pair. Outer tepals three, 2-3 by c. 0.7-1.5 cm; inner tepals 6, in two rows, as long as or slightly shorter than outer ones, 5-10 mm broad. Stamens 20-many, filament 1.5-2 mm long, anthers 3.5-10 mm, connective appendage triangular, acute, 2-3 mm long; carpels glabrous, glaucous, or yellowish tomentose, 15-c. 50, rarely fewer than 15. Fruits cylindric, distorted by the abortive carpels, c. 2.5 cm broad and up to 5 cm long, torus with scars of perianth and stamens 5-9 mm long.
A rare plant of primary vegetation, found at elevations from near sea level to 1,500 metres (var maclottii) and 1,000-2,600 metres (var beccariana).
Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.
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