A much branched tree or shrub 3–15 m. high; bark grey, corky and much fissured; branchlets cylindric or grooved, rarely angled, puberulous to somewhat densely yellowish villous, the oldest glabrescent and lenticellate.. Leaves alternate or in subverticils of 3; petiole (l–)1.5–3(–5) cm. long, subterete, flattened at the base, slightly grooved above, densely villous to puberulous; lamina nearly concolorous to very discolorous, variable in shape and size but normally oblong to lanceolate or oblong-elliptic, (5.5–)7–22(–27.5) cm. long, 2–8.3 cm. broad, obtuse or acute and mucronate at the apex, rounded or cuneate at the base, subcoriaceous or coriaceous, upper surface glabrous or puberulous to villous only on the nerves, usually densely hairy beneath; midrib impressed above and much raised beneath; reticulation ± prominent beneath, sometimes concealed by the indumentum.. Inflorescences of terminal and axillary, much-branched panicles up to 17 cm. long; axis and branches puberulous to villous; bracts subulate, 3–4(–10) mm. long; pedicels 1–1.5 mm. long, villous.. Sepals ovate or ovate-triangular 1.5–3.7 mm. long, 0.7–1.5 mm. broad, acute, dorsally appressed-villous.. Petals oblong, 2–4 mm. long, 1–2 mm. broad, obtuse and flat at the apex, whitish or yellowish, dorsally appressed pilose or villous.. Ovary compressed.. Drupes transversally ellipsoid, compressed, 6–8 mm. long, 8–11 mm. broad, at first red then turning black and shining.
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A shrub or small tree. It grows 2-4 m high. The small branches are hairy. The leaves are usually in rings of 3. They are oval or sword shaped. They are 5-13 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. The leaves have a dense covering of hairs underneath. The flowers are small and white. They occur in short branched sprays. The fruit is kidney-shaped and 4.5 mm long by 7.5 mm wide. They become black when mature. Five subspecies have been described.
Wooded grassland and open forest, extending into drier forest and deciduous forest in areas of higher rainfall, often on scarps, denuded soils and rocky slopes. It occurs from sea level to elevations of 2,200 metres.
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A tropical plant. It occurs in open woodland. It grows between 5-2,200 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.
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