Tree glabrous up to 15 (-20) m tall. Bark pale yellow-brown, densely thinly flakey. Leaves simple, thin, leathery, on 1.2 – 2.5 cm long petiole, oblong-ovate to elliptic-oblong, (6-) 7 – 15 x 3 – 8 cm, entire, basally acute to cuneate, shortly or abruptly acuminate at the apices, finely glandular punctuate on both sides. Inflorescence a panicle of cymes, usually on lateral leafless nodes, up to 12 cm long. Buds pyriform, 5 – 6 mm long, abruptly contracted below into a pseudostalk, calyptrate. Flowers sessile, bracts and bracteoles akin to each other, reddish-brown, deciduous at anthesis. Calyx tube truncate, 1.5 – 2 mm above the ovary, 2.5 – 3 mm across, brownish-pink, limb lobes 4, quickly deciduous. Petals orbicular, 3 – 4 mm long and wide, falling as calyptra. Stamens numerous, filaments pink, 2 – 6 mm long, inserted on margins of calyx tube. Ovary bilocular. Fruit oblong to oblong-ellipsoid, 1.2 – 2 x 1 – 1.5 cm, asymmetrical, purple-black when mature, glossy. Seeds usually solitary, ellipsoid to oblong-ellipsoid, 1 – 1.5 cm long with testa coherent to cotyledons.