Tree 6–40 m. tall, with straight clean trunk ; probably all the varieties have a rough reticulate bark. Leaves subcoriaceous, oblanceolate or elliptic-oblanceolate to broadly elliptic, finely glandular-serrate, cuneate at the base, ± abruptly shortly acuminate at the apex, glabrous above, glabrous to densely velvety below, 5–15.5(–18) cm. long and 1.5–6.7 cm. wide ; petiole 5–6(–10) mm. long. Flowers on peduncles (l–)2–3.5 cm. long ; bracts 2, opposite, immediately below the calyx, rounded or subacute, unequal, 2–9 mm. long and wide. Sepals reddish or brownish, ovate, ± acute or subrotund at apex, 1–3 cm. long and 1.2–1.6 cm. wide, glabrous or pubescent outside (outer always glabrous), finely sericeous within. Petals mostly orange or orange-red with paler tips, linear-oblong, 3.2-5.0 cm., mostly 4.3–4.5 cm. long and 5–7 mm. wide, obtuse or acute at the apex, subentire or slightly denticulate, narrowed below. Stamens 1.1–2.3 cm. long. Ovary conical, 5-10 mm. long, glabrous or hairy. Style filiform, 2.4–5 cm. long. Fruit ovoid-conic, 2–3 cm. long and 1 cm. diameter. Seeds numerous, 1.0–1.5 mm. in diameter.
