Shrub or tree up to 10 m tall, without or with lateral or terminal up to 1 cm long, often ± curved thorns, dioecious; often concentrations of persistent stipules (or scale-leaves) and lenticels at branching points. Leafy twigs 1.5-3 mm thick, glabrous or minutely whitish puberulous, unilaterally only or more densely. Leaves distichous; lamina narrowly elliptic to subobovate, (2.5-)5-12(-16) by (1-)2-5(-7) cm, often ± asymmetric, subcoriaceous to coriaceous, apex acuminate, acumen obtuse to subacute, base rounded to cordulate, margin irregularly dentate to denticulate or subentire; upper surface glabrous; lower surface glabrous or sparsely puberulous on the midrib; midrib ± impressed above, lateral veins 6-8 pairs, tertiary venation reticulate; petiole (0.2-)0.4-0.7 cm long, glabrous or minutely whitish puberulous adaxially; stipules 0.1-0.3 cm long, appressedly puberulous, (sub)persistent. Staminate inflorescences axillary, solitary or in pairs, spicate (or racemose), subsessile; spike (or raceme) 0.3-0.8 cm long; flowers 5-20, sessile (or up to 1 mm long pedicellate); perianth c. 1.5 mm long, minutely puberulous; stamens c. 3 mm long, anthers c. 0.8 mm long; bracts basally attached, few, 0.2-0.5 mm long, sparsely puberulous. Pistillate inflorescences axillary, solitary or in pairs, uniflorous, sessile or pedunculate; peduncle up to 0.4 cm long, subglabrous; tepals 2-3 mm long, minutely puberulous, in fruit the outer ones 3-4 mm long, the inner ones 10-12 mm long, suborbicular; ovary c. 1.5 mm long, style c. 1 mm long, stigmas 3-5 mm long; bracts 2, basally attached, 0.3-1 mm long, minutely puberulous or subglabrous. Drupe subglobose, 1-1.2 cm long, dehiscent, whitish; endocarp body subglobose, c. 0.7 cm long.
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