Tall buttressed tree. Twig, panicle, leaf bud, stipule (short on inner, long on outer surfaces), petiole, midrib on both surfaces and nerves on undersurface densely persistently purplish brown to gold-brown scabrid tomentose; sometimes glabrous on midrib upper surface in mature trees. Twigs c. 2 mm ø apically, ridged at first, becoming terete or somewhat compressed, smooth, with c. 2 mm long pale linear descending stipule scars. Bud to 3.5 by 3 mm, ovoid, ± compressed. Stipule to 8 by 4 mm, not at first caducous, broadly ovate, acute. Leaves 9-15 by 3.5-7 cm, coriaceous, oblong to broadly ovate, golden to silver lepidote beneath; base broadly cuneate; acumen to 1 cm long; nerves 12-18 pairs, prominent beneath, at c. 50°-60°; tertiary nerves slender, sinuate, scalariform; petiole 1.2-1.7 cm long, rugose. Panicle to 12 cm long, terminal or axillary, ribbed and slightly compressed; singly branched, branchlets to 2.5 cm long, bearing to 8 secund flowers; bracteoles to 4 mm long, elliptic, acute, shortly pubescent, fugaceous. Flower bud to 10 by 3 mm, narrowly lanceolate. Calyx densely pubescent outside, puberulent within; lobes deltoid, subequal. Petals cream, pink at base, linear, densely tomentose outside, shortly pubescent within. Stamens 30-40; filaments compressed at base, slender, tapering, slightly hispid; anthers oblong, the outer cells somewhat larger than the inner cells; appendage to connective as long as anther, stout, setose. Ovary and stylopodium shortly ovoid, densely tomentose except at the base; style as long as ovary and stylopodium, slender, glabrous. Fruit calyx puberulent to glabrous; 3 longer lobes to 8 by 2.4 cm, spatulate, obtuse, to 4 mm broad above the to 12 by 7 mm ovate thickened saccate base; 2 shorter lobes to 4.5 by 1.7 cm, otherwise similar. Nut to 1.5 by 1 cm, ovoid, densely pale grey-buff pubescent; style remnant to 3 mm long.
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