Shrub 3–5 m., with entirely glabrous twigs and leaves (except for the domatia).. Leaf-blades obovate, elliptic or ovate, 5–10 cm. long, 1.5–3.5 cm. wide, acute at apex and with the midrib projecting as a small mucro, cuneate at base, coriaceous, shining above; 3–4 pairs of main lateral nerves; domatia hairy, mostly without excavation, sometimes with pocket-cavities; petiole 1–3 mm. long; stipules sheathing, ± 1 mm. long, with awns up to 4 mm. long.. Flowers (?5–)6-merous, sweetly scented, solitary and sessile; bracts and bracteoles 3–4 pairs, cupular, the upper ones with 4 unequal awns, puberulous.. Calyx-tube glabrous; limb ellipsoid, 4–5 mm. long, variable in hairiness outside, hairy inside, with 4–5 minute lobes at tip, when the flowers open developing 1 deep split and then becoming oblique with regard to corolla-tube, spathe-like.. Corolla white; tube 13–27 mm. long, 1.5–3 mm. wide, with long slender hairs in the upper 2/3 inside; lobes 6–10 mm. long, 3–5 mm. wide, sparsely ciliolate, acute.. Anthers sessile, 2.5 mm. long, shortly apiculate.. Placenta with 2–4 ovules; style glabrous, short, included, the lobes positioned in the middle of the tube.. Fruit red, ovoid, 3.5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide.. Seeds few in each chamber, with curved linear hilum; testa colliculate, thickened near the hilum.
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