A small tree up to 10 m tall, bark thick, corky, pale-grey. Leaves variable, 1.8-11.5 x 0.8-2.5 cm, oblong or ovate-lanceolate, finely serrate, membranous, glabrous, dull green, not shining; petiole 0.5-1 cm long. Cymes dichotomous, axillary or below the leaves; peduncles c. 7 flowered. Flowers c. 7 mm in diameter, greenish-white. Sepals 4. Petals 4, 5-7 mm long, lanceolate to oblong, obtuse, margins revolute. Stamens as long or shorter than the petals. Capsule turbinate, 0.7-1 cm broad, deeply 3-4-lobed, yellow. Seeds 1-2 in each cell, enclosed in a scarlet aril.