Small trees, up to 15(-24) m, in higher altitudes usually treelets of some metres or large shrubs, bark brown, usually rough and lenticellate, sometimes grey. Twigs densely hairy. Leaves elliptic to oblong, 2-12 by 1.5-5 cm, base acute to rounded, margins often revolute also when living, apex obtuse, often retuse, stiff-coriaceous, with 5-9 pairs of nerves, distinctly looped and joined near the margin, densely hairy when young and usually still hairy below when mature, basal glands 2(-4), flat. Petiole 0.2-1 cm long. Stipules narrowly triangular, 2.5-7 by 0.7-1.8 mm, free. Racemes solitary, in axils of extant or fallen leaves, 1-12 cm long, peduncle 0-1.5 cm, rachis densely hairy, pedicels 0-7 mm long. Hypanthium 2-4 mm high, densely hairy outside. Perianth segments 8-12, subequal or unequal but not regularly differentiated as sepals and petals, 1-2 mm long, hairy outside. Stamens 15-40, filaments up to 7 mm, glabrous or with some hairs at base, anthers 0.4-1 mm long. Ovary densely hairy, style up to 5 mm long, sometimes hairy at base. Fruits subglobular to transversely ellipsoid, 6-11 by 7-11.5 mm, exocarp hairy, shining purplish black when ripe, endocarp glabrous or with some hairs inside, calyx (i.e. remnant of hypanthium) under the fruit 1.5-4 mm diam., but in specimens from high altitudes up to 8 mm diam., Seed with glabrous testa.
Uses As for other species, there are a few reports (Bowers 843, Pullen 252) of the use of the bark for making men's waist belts.
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