Trees. Innovations densely set with fulvous to rufous adpressed and erect, simple and stellate hairs. Terminal buds ovoid, scales imbricate. Stipules extra-or inter-petiolar. Leaves spirally arranged or in whorls of 3. Inflorescence catkin-like, male, female, androgynous or mixed. Male rachis slender, erect or pendent, simple or with some lateral branches, arising from the axil of a lower, normal leaf or in the axil of reduced leaves and crowded together in a lateral or subterminal paniculate cluster. Male flowers in dichasial clusters of (1-)3-7(-12), subtended by a bract and bracteoles; perianth membranous, campanulate, 6-lobed, the lobes imbricate; stamens 6, filaments free, exserted, anthers ovoid, ½-1 mm long, cordate at the base, basifixed, 2-loculed, longitudinally dehiscent; pistillode replaced by a cluster of erect simple hairs. Female, androgynous or mixed rachis slender, erect, not branched, arising from the axil of al higher leaf. Female flowers in dichasial clusters of (1-)3-7(-15), subtended by a bract and bracteoles; perianth with 6 imbricate lobes, the lower parts adnate to the ovary; staminodes 6, well-developed and exceeding the perianth or remaining shorter than the perianth, sometimes pollinifer-ous; ovary 3-celled, ovules 2 per cell, axillary and apical; styles 3, recurved or connate at the base, stigmas capitate. Cupule sessile or ⅓-½ cm stalked, spirally set or in whorls of 2-3 along the rachis, open, 3-12-lobed, the adaxial lobe usually reduced and rounded; outside covered with transverse dentate lamellae or imbricate scales; containing 1-7(-12) fruits. Fruit trigonous in cross-section, ovoid-triangular in outline; wall thinner than ½ mm, for the greater part free from the cupule. Germination epigeal.
Confined to everwet, montane forest at 850-1765 m; fl. in Malesia Aug.-June, in Siam Nov.-Jan., fr. in Malesia April-Nov., in Siam March.
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