A suffrutex with a milky latex, with erect stems usually 2 m. high, rarely up to 4 or 6 m., arising from a woody rootstock; branchlets softly pubescent or yellowish villous.. Leaves alternate or in sub-whorls of 3; petiole subterete, densely villous; lamina obovate-elliptic or broadly elliptic, 7–21 cm. long, 3.5–12 cm. broad, truncate or emarginate and sometimes mucronate at the apex, cuneate and occasionally unequal-sided at the base, softly tomentose beneath, puberulous or glabrous (except on the nerves) and reddish above; midrib impressed above and much raised beneath; lateral nerves numerous, pubescent on both surfaces and with longer hairs beneath; reticulation prominent beneath but somewhat concealed by the indumentum.. Inflorescences of terminal and axillary panicles 2–11 cm. long, densely pubescent or villous; bracts subulate, 2–9 mm. long; pedicels 1–1.5 mm. long, villous.. Sepals lanceolate-deltoid (1.2–)2–2.5 mm. long, 0.6–0.9(–1.2) mm. broad, acute to acuminate, dorsally appressed villous.. Petals oblong, 2–2.5 mm. long, 0.8–1.2 mm. broad, with an inflexed obtuse apex, whitish or reddish, dorsally appressed puberulous or villous especially towards the base.. Ovary compressed.. Drupes transversally ellipsoid, compressed to almost 2-lobed, ± 7–8 mm. broad, black.
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