Shrub or small tree 0.5–7.5 m tall but possibly much taller (see note) with grey smooth or ± reticulately fissured bark; branches reddish brown, somewhat 4-angled and ± densely papillose-puberulous at first, becoming glabrous, striate or shallowly fissured, densely lenticellate. Leaves fairly thin, often slightly glaucous, usually drying dark bluish green, obovate to oblanceolate, elliptic or oblong-elliptic, (2.2–)3.6–7.5 cm long, 1–2.7(–2.9) cm wide, narrowed or slightly acuminate to a rounded apex or subacute, cuneate at base or narrowed to a rounded or truncate base, densely curved-serrulate at margin; lateral veins ± 25 with numerous intermediaries, together with closely reticulate tertiary venation, prominent on both surfaces; petiole 0.5–2 mm long. Flowers sometimes (perhaps always?) precocious, 2–8 in pseudo-umbellate or raceme-like inflorescences; pedicels 1–2.7(–3.5) cm long, jointed at base or up to 3 mm from base, sometimes with a deciduous stipule-like bract at the junction, papillose-puberulous, particularly the jointed portion. Sepals broadly elliptic, 3–7 mm long, 3.5–6 mm wide, rounded, becoming yellow then orange-red to crimson in fruit, 10–14 mm long, 8–11 mm wide, remaining tightly imbricated around the developing drupelets forming an ellipsoid structure but eventually ± spreading. Petals bright yellow, obovate, (5–)7–13 mm long, 3–7.5 mm wide. Anthers sometimes drying dark bluish green, 1–1.5 mm long, shorter than the filaments, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Carpels 5–7; styles completely united or rarely free at apex; stigma subglobose or 5–7-lobed. Drupelets black, ellipsoid, 8–10 mm long, 5–6 mm wide.