A small, ± glabrous slender shrub up to 3 m. tall, but more commonly 1–2 m.. Branches often pendulous.. Twigs subterete, occasionally slightly scabrous, later becoming reddish brown and lenticellate.. Bark streaky, light and dark brown.. Petioles 1–5 mm. long, smooth or somewhat scabrous; leaf-blade elliptic to elliptic-obovate, 1–9.5 cm. long, 0.5–4.5 cm. wide, obtusely or subacutely shortly acuminate, subacute or obtuse at apex, cuneate or rounded at base, membranaceous to chartaceous, lateral nerves (3–)4–6 pairs, midrib and main veins scarcely raised above or beneath, surface bright or deep green and often minutely purple-spotted above, and paler green and sometimes coarsely purplish-mottled beneath.. Stipules lanceolate or triangular-lanceolate, 1–1.5 mm. long, acutely acuminate, minutely denticulate or subentire, somewhat scarious, often purplish.. Fascicles bisexual.. Male flowers: pedicels (3–)5–7(–13) mm. long; sepals elliptic-obovate, 1–1.3 mm. long, 0.7–1 mm. wide, obtuse, greenish purple with pale margins; disc 1–1.5 mm. diameter, dark purple, partially adnate to the calyx; stamens with the filaments united for 3/4 their length or more; staminal column 0.5–1 mm. long, rather stout; anthers 0.3 mm. long; pistillode ± entire, dark-coloured.. Female flowers pendulous: pedicels extending to 5 cm. (var. fruticans) or 6 cm. (var. engleri) in fruit, arising from a podium 0.5 mm. long; sepals ± elliptic, 1.5 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, obtuse, dark green with whitish margins; ovary sometimes stipitate, 1 mm. diameter; style-branches capitate, 0.5 mm. long.. Fruits 4 mm. long, 4.5 mm. diameter, purplish-mottled.. Seeds 2.3–2.5 mm. long, longitudinally grooved, with deep pits along the grooves, dark brown.
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