Tree, 20-45 m (bole 18-24 m), dbh 25-130 cm. Leaves usually obovate, more rarely elliptic, coriaceous, rather flat, 2-6 by 1-3 cm; ridge on midrib in lower half; nerves 5-7 pairs, rather indistinct on both sides; reticulations not prominent; petiole 2½-5 mm; very young flush often waxy. Stipules early caducous. ♂ Flowers sessile in 1-3 mm pe-duncled triads ± crowded on very short (to 10 mm) efoliate twiglets in the axils of normal leaves; perianth hypanthium-like contracted at base, cam-panulate-urceolate, c. 3½-4 mm. Stamens c. 10; anthers 2½-3 mm. ♀ Flowers solitary, 1-1½ mm peduncled, only sustained by an elamellar flap much smaller and narrower than the flower, 2-3 mm long; flower itself ovate-oblong, 5 by 3 mm; style c. 1-1½ rnm. Nut elliptic to ovate-oblong, 7-11 by 4-5 mm.
Mountain forests, sometimes low mossy forest, or shrubby growths on summits or ridges, 1900-2850 m.On Normanby I. at 900 m on summit shrubby growths the major constituent 2-5 m tall; on Mt Kaindi in low mossy forest also only 3 m. Forming extensive forests at Bundi Gap at 2700 m and at Laiagam (Kandep Road) the dominant tree at 2850 m, but also found dominant at Ialibu at 1950 m and Habono at 2100 m. Fl. Dec, Jan., also flush June-Aug.
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