Sparsely branched tree, 5–13 m. high, presumably dioecious; trunk 0.2–0.5 m. in diameter at base, with main branching points either near the base or at the top, ultimate branchlets ± 0.8 cm. thick when dry, probably more when fresh, covered with large persistent stipules and stinging hairs; wood soft and with much juice in the thick bark and the wide pith; bark grey or brown, smooth to flaky, with very noticeable leaf-scars on the branches; the whole plant has an appearance not unlike a paw-paw, probably always completely deciduous for part of the year.. Leaves always clustered at the end of the branches; stipules large, ovate to subcircular, 1.5–2.5 cm. long, 1.2–1.8 cm. wide, acute to acuminate, glabrous or ciliate, long-persistent, green but withering brownish; petiole 8–15 cm., pubescent and with many stinging hairs up to 2.5 mm. long; lamina ovate in outline, usually bullate, 15–25 cm. long and wide, palmately lobed or divided, rarely ± entire, with each lobe triangular, unlobed to ± clearly palmately lobed, base deeply cordate, margin (also of the lobes) serrate, apex (also of lobes) acuminate; lateral nerves 5–7 pairs, basal pair reaching the tip of the basal lobes; upper surface with short hairs and scattered stinging hairs, lower surface densely pubescent, and with scattered stinging hairs on the nerves; cystoliths punctiform, visible from above.. Inflorescences in the axils of the current leaves, rarely persisting after the leaves have fallen, profusely branched panicles up to ± 20 cm. long, on peduncles up to ± 5 cm. long, pubescent and with numerous stinging hairs, flowers in small clusters at the branching points or scattered along the axes; ♂ and ♀ rather similar.. Male flowers subsessile; perianth globular, up to ± 2 mm. in diameter, 5-merous, with rudimentary ovary present.. Female flowers subsessile, 4-merous, perianth up to ± 0.8 mm. in diameter, compressed; stigma prominent penicillate, the whole flower yellow.. Achene ± 1–1.5 mm. long.. Fig. 3.
Rocky hill-sides in evergreen or semi-evergreen bushland (chiefly on hills of the basement complex, less commonly on basalt and lava); sometimes at rocky lake-and river sides; margins of dry forest?; at elevations from 500-2,000 metres.
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