Shrub, rarely attaining the size of a small tree, 1-3 (–5) m tall with pale branches. Pneumatophores 10-20 (—25) cm long. Leaves lanceolate to ovate-elliptic, coriaceous 3-8 cm long, 1.5-3.5 cm broad, very acute to acuminate, entire; glabrous and shining green above, whitish-tomentose beneath, turning somewhat blackish when dried; petiole short, 3-5 (—8) mm long, usually margined with a very narrow lamina. Flowers dingy yellow with somewhat orange throat, sessile, in heads at the apex of stout, angular peduncles and often with an opposite pair much down below on the same peduncle. Bract and 2 bracteoles concave, ovate to suborbicular, shorter than the sepals (except the bracts of the lowest flowers), ciliate; bract (2.5—) 3-4 mm long, 1.5-3 mm broad, acute; bracteole 2-3.5 mm long, 2-2.5 mm broad. Calyx 5-partite almost to the base, or sepals (3—) 3.5-4 mm long, 2.5-3 mm broad, broadly ovate to suborbicular, connate at the base, concave, obtuse, somewhat ciliate and tomentose on the back. Corolla c. 5 mm in diam., 5-6 mm long; tube very short; lobes 4, ovate, acute, subequal, slightly exceeding the calyx, c.1.5. mm in diam. Stamens 4, sub-sessile included, inserted at the mouth and alternating with corolla lobes. Ovary ellipsoid-linear, about as long as the tube of corolla, villous; style shorter than the ovary, 2-fid. Capsule broadly ellipsoid or ovoid, 12-18 mm long, 10-12 mm broad, compressed, ± apiculate, pale green or slightly greyish-tomentose; seed usually 1, large, often germinating on the plant (viviparous); embryo with plumule enlarged before falling.