Trees evergreen, to 14 m tall, to 30 cm d.b.h. Bark gray, smooth; branches with numerous lenticels; branchlets robust, puberulent at first, glabrescent or with rudimentary minute hairs. Petiole 2.5-5 cm, relatively robust, glabrous or minutely puberulent; leaf blade oblong, 12-20 × 4-7.5 cm, leathery, abaxially pubescent only in vein axils, adaxially glabrous, lateral veins 6-8 per side, prominently raised abaxially, conspicuous or slightly impressed adaxially, veinlets conspicuous, base obtuse or slightly rounded, margin entire, shrunk when dry, apex acuminate. Capsules solitary or several fascicled, terminal, globose, 1.5-2 cm in diam., 3-or 4-valved; stipe of fruit 3-5 cm, brown pubescent; valves adaxially purple-red, ca. 1.5 mm thick; prickles brown, 1-2 mm. Seeds dark brown, shiny, ellipsoid, ca. 8 mm; aril yellowish, covering 1/2 of seed. Fl. May, fr. Sep-Oct.
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