Shrub c. 1 m tall, almost glabrous. Bark cinnamon coloured, loose, peel¬ing off in papery strips. Leaves 3-17.5 cm long, 1.5-15 cm broad, elliptic or ovate, abruptly narrow at both ends, serrate, acute or sub-acuminate, glabrous; petiole 2-3 cm long. Inflorescence globose cymes, 8-22 cm broad. Flowers ebracteate, dimorphic, majority of the outer ones larger, sterile or functionally unisexual, a few central ones fertile, dull white, faded pink or bluish. Sterile flower pedicels 3-3.5 cm long, with sparsely appressed hairs; sepals 4-5, c. 2.8 cm long, 2.7 cm broad, rhomboid, light purple, prominently veined, retuse; petals rudimentary, usually 4, minute, c. 3 mm long, 2 mm broad, ovate, acute, spreading; stamens 8, filaments 1.5 mm long, slender; anthers 0.5 mm long; styles 2-3, 1 mm long, thick, divaricate; stigmas capitate. Fertile flowers penta¬merous; pedicels 3 mm long, sparsely covered with short simple hairs; sepals 5, small, triangular, 1.5 mm long, 1 mm broad, acute, fleshy, pink, persistent; petals 5, c. 5 mm long, 2.5 mm broad, elliptic-ovate, truncate at the base, acute, somewhat reflexed; stamens 10, filaments slender, 3 mm long; anthers 1 mm long; ovary inferior, styles 3-4, thick, c. 1.5 mm long; stigmas capitate.