Tree (5-)10-30 m. Twigs 3-5(-10) mm diameter, glabrescent, hairs 0.1-0.6(-l) mm; older twigs finely or coarsely lenticellate, bark often longitudinally cracking, occasionally flaking; lenticels present. Leaves membranous, chartaceous, or subcoriaceous, elliptic-oblong to lanceolate, 12-35(-40) by 4-14 cm, base (short) cuneate, rounded, or shallowly cordate (frequently so in var. subcordata and morindiifolia), apex acute-acuminate; upper surface olivaceous or brown, lower surface with persistent indumentum, hairs dense, somewhat powdery, (grey-)brown, 0.1-0.4(-0.6) mm; not papillose; dots absent; midrib flat above (sometimes raised towards the apex), lateral nerves 18-30(-35) per side, at 60-70° to the midrib, in cordate leaves those towards the base frequently at nearly 90° to the midrib, lines of interarching faint or distinct, venation indistinct; petiole 10-25 by 2.5-5 mm; leaf bud 10-30 by 2.5-5 mm, hairs 0.1-0.5(-0.6) mm; cataphyll-like leaves often present on the twig below the normally developed leaves, especially in var. morin-diifolia. Inflorescences between the leaves or below, of the Knema-type: a short, simple or forked, scar-covered brachyblast (in male) up to 15 mm long, sessile or to 5 mm long pedunculate, with short rusty indumentum, glabrescent; bracts 1.5 mm, caducous; in male: ending in a cluster of 5-10 flowers, buds of various sizes; female similar to male, fewer flowered; flowers with flocculose hairs 0.2-0.5(-l) mm. Male flowers: pedicel 5-12 by 1-1.5 mm, bracteole ± ovate (sometimes faintly 3-topped), 2-2.5 or 4-5 mm long (see note under var. morindiifoliia), caducous, scar apical or 1-2 mm below; buds (ovoid-)oblong or nearly tubiform, 6.5-8(-10) by 3-4 mm, cleft 1/5-1/4, lobes (1—)1.5— 2 mm long, 0.2-0.3 mm thick. Androecium slender, (4-)4.5-6.5 or 7.5-8 mm; androphore 2-4 mm long, in the lower 1/3-1/2 with hairs 0.1-0.5 mm; synandrium 2.5-4 by 0.7-1.2 mm, thecae 10-12, sterile apex acute or blunt, sometimes faintly lobed, 0.2-0.4(-l) mm long, or absent. Female flowers: pedicel 1 mm long (longer in var. gigacarpa), bracteole 3-4 mm, caducous; buds ovoid, 4-5(-6) by 4-5 mm; ovary ovoid, 3.5-4 by 3.5-4 mm, hairs 0.2-0.6 mm. Fruits single or in clusters of 2 or 3(-5), (ovoid-)oblong, rarely sub-globose, (3.5-)4-5.5 by 2.5-3.5 cm, hairs (dark) rusty, ± flocculose, 0.1-0.5(-l) mm; pericarp leathery, sometimes ± woody, 3-7(-10) mm thick; seeds ellipsoid, 2.5-3 cm; fruiting pedicel (3-)4-10(-20 in var. gigacarpa) by 3-5 mm, late glabrescent, bracteole scar usually below the apex.
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