is a bush of the undergrowth or a tree reaching 8 m in height, being
monoecious and heterophyllous. The trunk can reach 9 cm in diameter or the
plant can be a small tree with few erect branches. Plantlets bear rough hairs.
Adult foliate branches are rounded, smooth measuring 5-14 mm in diameter and
have swelling nodes.
leaves are often grouped at the terminal part of branches. They are opposite,
sub-opposite, sometimes in pseudoverticils of 4. The petiole measures 1.4-3 cm by 4-8 mm. The lamina varies
from elliptical to oval, is sometimes more or less falciform, 15-45 (-50) ´
8-23 (-24) cm. It can be pointed to acuminate at the tip and cuneiform to
obtuse at the base.
are 7-9 pairs of secondary veins, which make an angle of 60-700
with the midrib. Leaves of plantlets have a red petiole. Lamina bears 1-3
pairs of teeth in the apical part. The inflorescences are found solitary on
the basal part of the trunk or fasciculate or in uni/bisexual racemes of 3-7
flowers, whereby the female flowers are often terminal.
flower buds are globular, pubescent, measuring 7-8 mm in diameter. They are
apiculate and bear 4 small tepals. The pedicel measures 2.5-6 cm ´
0.8-1 mm, is pubescent, and is subtended by minute deciduous bract. The
receptacle, at anthesis, measures 1.4-1.8 cm in diameter. The receptacle is
4-lobed where the lobes are thick, nearly flat or slightly incurved, with a
smooth internal surface. There are 100-250 stamens. These are obovoid,
measuring 0.8-1.5 ´
0.5-0.6 mm. The anther has confluent locules at the top, rarely separated,
reaching half to 2/3 of total length. The connective is not prolonged and the
filament distinct and short.
flower buds are napiform-discoid, pubescent, flattened at the top and
apiculate or can bear several pairs of minute tepals. The pedicel measures
3.8-8 cm ´
1.5 mm. The receptacle is napiform-discoid at anthesis. It measures 1.1-1.3 cm
in diameter and 4-6 mm high. It splits into 4 (-6) triangular, erect lobes
with a more or less square or subcircular orifice, making about 1/2 the width
of the receptacle. There are about 300 styles, which are shortly conical,
0.6-1 mm long and 0.2-0.3 mm in diameter at the base. The internal surface of
the receptacle is velvety, with simple dense hairs.
are solitary, mainly found at the base of trunks and more rarely on the
branches. The receptacle is napiform-urceolate to subglobular, 3-5.6 cm in
diameter and 2.2-4.5 cm high, with an orifice being 2.5 cm in diameter. The
wall is about 1.2 cm thick. The external surface is brown and corky. The
internal surface bears numerous styles, which are shortly conical, 0.6-1 mm
long and 0.2-0.3 mm in diameter at the base. These styles are mixed with few
simple hairs. The pedicels measure (1.5-) 3.5-8 cm ´
Ripe carpels are compressed ovoids, being 1.2-1.3 cm long. The endocarp is light.