Shrub or small tree, c. 1-2(-4) m; twigs glabrous, young shoots puberulous, with scattered caducous, minute, bract-like leaves (cataphylls) below the leaves of the apical flush. Leaves mostly c. 3-5 subverticillate or scattered, papyraceous, very variable in size and shape, elliptic, narrowly elliptic or narrowly obovate, c. (6-)12-22(-30) by (3-)4-7(-9) cm; base cuneate, margin entire or more or less deeply irregularly sinuate, top c. 1-2.5 cm gradually acute-acuminate; nerves c. 5-10 pairs, prominent beneath, forming distinct intra-marginal loops; reticulation lax; petiole c. 0-1 cm. Inflorescences one or more (pseudo-)terminal pseudo-umbels or condensed corymbs; peduncle c. 0.5-1 cm, sometimes longer, ferrugineous-pubescent as are the bracts and pedicels. Bracts narrowly oblong, boat-shaped, c. 4-5 mm. Pedicels c. 2-6 mm. Flowers yellowish-white or pink. Sepals free, lanceolate, c. 3-6 by 1 mm, top acute, rarely blunt, margin ciliate. Petals ligulate, c. 10-15 mm, tip rounded. Filaments c. 2-8 mm, anthers c. 1-2 mm. Ovary subsessile or up to c. 3 mm stipitate, elliptic, c. 2-3 by 1 mm, ferrugineous-pubescent; ovules ∞, on 2-5 parietal placentas; style 2-6 mm. A specimen from East New Guinea (BRASS 30801) has entirely glabrous, slender ovaries in predominantly male flowers; all other material has pubescent ovaries. Fruits c. 1-3, on woody pedicels of c. 0.5-1 cm, subglobose, obovoid or club-shaped when young, more or less ovoid or ellipsoid when ripe, sometimes angled, c. 2-4.5 by 1-2 cm when dry, 2-5-valved, valves coriaceous, yellow or orange at both sides also when dry, inside not distinctly transversely ribbed; funicles long, ribbon-like, orange. Seeds ∞, subreniform, c. 5-8 mm.
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