Shrub or small tree, 4–9 m. high (? sometimes much taller); bark grey. Branches spreading, ± terete, somewhat angular when young, glabrous. Leaves petiolate; lamina 9–24 x 4–9 cm., ± deflexed, oblong to elliptic or oblanceolate, acute (rarely acuminate) to rounded at the apex, cuneate at the base, subentire or sinuate to serrate or shortly spinose, rather coriaceous, glabrous, with prominent venation on both surfaces, eglandular; petiole (10) 20–55 (60) mm. long, channelled above, glabrous; stipules soon caducous. Inflorescence up to c. 20 cm. long, compound, terminal, paniculate, broadly cylindrical to pyramidal; peduncle stout, angular, pubescent. Bracts triangular, pubescent, persistent. Flower-buds ovoid or cylindric, pendulous. Flowers becoming erect, shortly pedicellate; pedicels pubescent. Sepals 2–3 mm. long, ovate to oblong, rounded, obscurely longitudinally ribbed or smooth, ± pubescent. Petals 4–5 mm. long, 11/2–2 times as long as the sepals, white to greenish-yellow, ovate-lanceolate, acute or obtuse, scarcely recurved above, equal, ± pubescent. Stamen-tube with or without a short free 5-lobed margin, glabrous or occasionally pubescent; anthers sessile, inserted opposite the lobes of the stamen-tube, ovate-truncate, glabrous or occasionally pubescent, with a triangular-ovate, acute, not decurrent, connective-appendage, with or without a single, short, lanceolate, thecal appendage. Ovary globose to ovoid or ellipsoid, glabrous; style c. 3 times as long as the ovary. Capsule 20–25 mm. long, greenish or brown, ± erect, obovoid or ellipsoid, glabrous, rugose, fibrous, woody, several-seeded. Seeds c. 11 mm. long, dark brown.