Large tree to 15 m. in height or taller. Twigs moderate (2 to 3 mm.), some-what fluted, strikingly yellowish-white, glabrous. Buds round-ovoid, about 3 mm. long, glabrous, brown, the stipules persistent for a time, about 7 mm. long, ligulate, glabrous. Leaves deciduous, thick and very firm, 4 to 6 or rarely 8 cm. long, 2.5 to 4 cm. broad, ovate to obovate or broadly elliptic, the apex broadly rounded or merely obtuse, base subcuneate to cordulate but usually rounded, entire, the margins minutely revolute or flat, upper surfaces shiny, glabrous, lower surface dull, glabrous except occasional fulvous-stellate tomentum along the midrib toward the base; veins 6 or 7 or rarely 9 on each side, very irregular, much branched and obviously anastomosing, very slightly raised above with the reticulum not evident, more prominent beneath, the reticulum somewhat raised or not; petioles 4 to 7 mm. long, dark brown, glabrous. Staminate catkin 3 or 4 cm. long, the rachis sparsely pubescent or glabrous, loosely flowered or rather densely so toward the apex, the anthers little exserted. Pistillate catkins 2 or 3 cm. long, several-flowered toward the apex, the styles short, stigmas abruptly dilated if at all. Fruit annual, several distally grouped on a glabrous peduncle about 3 cm. long and 2 mm. thick; cups about 10 or 12 mm. broad, cup-shaped, the scales narrowly ovate, apically narrowed but obtuse, somewhat thickened basally, the thin apices closely appressed, gray-puberulent only at the base, otherwise glabrous and reddish-brown; acorns (immature) about 1 cm. in diameter, round, one-half included.
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