Tree up to 35 m tall, bark dark grey, fissured. Young branches erect or drooping, silky, later becoming glabrous. Buds 6 x 1.5-2 mm, lanceolate-oblong, flattened, silky, acute. Leaves stipulate, stipules small, lanceolate, caducous. Petiole 5-8 mm, eglandular, lamina 5-10-(15) x 1-3 cm, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, finely serrate, silky adpressed pilose when young, becoming subglabrescent. Catkins appearing with leaves, dense, cylindrical, often bisexual, rachis densely pubescent, stalked with entire, oblong-obovate, obtusish bracts. Male catkin 25-50 x 3-4 mm. before anthesis. Stamens 2, free, filaments hairy towards the base, anthers 0.5-0.6 (-7) mm, yellow. Female catkin 3-5 x c. 0.6 cm, lax, glands 1 or 2, ovary ovoid, conical, obtuse, glabrous, subsessile; fruiting stipe 0.2-0.8 mm, equalling gland.