Small to medium-sized tree. Young twig and stipule sparsely shortly caducous pale brown pubescent; bud, panicle and petiole persistently so. Twig to 2 mm ø apically, straight, terete, superficially cracked, rugose and coming away in small papery flakes. Leaf bud 0.5 by 1 mm, small, ovoid, obtuse. Stipule to 3 mm long, linear, fugaceous. Leaves 8-14 by 2.5-4 cm, deep violet when opening, ovate to lanceolate, coriaceous; base cuneate; acumen to 1.5 cm long; nerves 8-10 pairs, hardly raised beneath, curved, well spaced, at c. 50°-60°; midrib beneath hardly elevated; tertiary nerves densely scalariform; petiole 6-8 mm long, finely cracked and drying distinct pale brown to cream-grey. Panicle to 10 cm long, terminal or axillary, slender, lax, terete; regularly singly or doubly branched, branchlets to 2 cm long, bearing to 8 distichous flowers; bracteoles small, fugaceous. Flower bud to 2.5 by 1.5 mm, lanceolate, acute. Calyx shortly pubescent outside, glabrous within; lobes ovate, acute, the 2 inner lobes thinner, more constricted at base than 3 outer. Petals cream, linear, shortly pubescent on parts exposed in bud, imbricate and cupped at base on opening, twisted and spreading distally. Stamens 15, in 3 unequal verticils; filaments broad at base, tapering and filiform distally; anthers oblong; appendage to connective 1-2 times length of anther, ciliate towards apex, as long as style. Ovary ovoid, shortly pubescent except at base; stylopodium conical; style short, glabrous; style and stylopodium as long as ovary. Fruit calyx lobes to 5 by 5 mm, subequal, broadly ovate, incrassate, obtuse. Nut to 8 by 9 mm, obovoid, acute, shortly buff pubescent.
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