Large tree. Young twig, panicle, leaf bud, stipule (both surfaces), petiole, nervation beneath and midrib above evenly persistently shortly pale brown puberulent, glabrescent on nervation and midrib. Twig to 4 mm ø, slightly compressed at first, becoming terete, glabrous, smooth; stipule scars initially to 3 mm long, to 1 mm thick, cuneate, horizontal. Bud 6-10 by 4-6 mm, ovoid, subacute. Stipule to 12 by 5 mm, oblong, obtuse. Leaves 14-26 by 6.5-12 cm, elliptic, thickly coriaceous; base obtuse, sometimes broadly cuneate; acumen to 2 cm long, ± narrowly deltoid; nerves 10-13 pairs, prominent beneath, curved, at 45°-55° along the midrib, to 90° at the base; tertiary nerves slender, sinuate, densely scalariform, diagonal to nerves; midrib prominent and terete beneath, narrowly slightly depressed above; petiole 1.5-2 cm long, stout. Panicle to 8 cm long, terminal or axillary, compressed; singly or doubly branched at 2 cm intervals, branchlets to 6 cm long, bearing to 9 distichous flowers; bracteoles to 3.5 by 2.5 mm, elliptic, obtuse, shortly yellowish brown puberulent outside, glabrous within, caducous. Flower bud to 9 by 4 mm, narrowly ellipsoid, obtuse. Calyx shortly densely yellowish buff pubescent outside, glabrous within; lobes subequal, ovate, subacute. Corolla dark crimson, pubescent on parts exposed in bud; petals linear, subacute. Stamens 15, of 3 lengths, the longest reaching just above the ovary, filaments tapering gradually; anthers subglobose; appendage to connective short, becoming reflexed. Ovary and stylopodium narrowly conical to ovoid, long tomentose towards the apex, shortly so at base; style c. 1/3 length of ovary and stylopodium filiform, glabrous. Fruit calyx shortly sparsely glabrescent; 3 longer lobes to 15 by 2.8 cm, spatulate, obtuse, to 1.5 cm broad above the base; base to 18 mm broad, with to 8 by 7 mm ovate saccate thickened centre and 2 lateral auricles, abruptly tapering to the pedicel; 2 shorter lobes to 8 by 0.7 cm, linear, unequal, similar at base. Nut to 3 by 2 cm, ovoid, shortly evenly densely pale fulvous to buff pubescent; style remnant short, acute.