Shrub or small tree 1–5(–6) m tall with rather rough greyish white bark; branchlets brown or dark purplish, usually prominently lenticellate (save on youngest parts). Leaves thin or ± coriaceous, elliptic or oblong-elliptic to narrowly obovate, 5–21 cm long, 2.5–7 cm wide, obtuse to acute, acuminate or rounded at apex, mucronate and aristate at tip, cuneate to cordate at the base, margins entire or with numerous dark-tipped (at least when dry) ± equal spine-like setae up to 2 mm long; lateral veins ± 20, with closely reticulate tertiary venation of many parallel veinlets all prominent on both surfaces, but less so beneath; petiole (2–)4–5(–6) mm long, rather thick. Flowers 3–± 20 in condensed panicles terminating short lateral shoots; pedicels 1–2.5 cm long, jointed (1–)5–9 mm from the base; bracts 8 mm long, 4 mm wide, striate. Sepals elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 10–16 mm long, (4–)7–8 mm wide, rounded at the apex, becoming red and enlarging to 20 mm long, 10 mm wide. Petals bright yellow, obovate to broadly elliptic, 13–25 mm long, (6–)10–18 mm wide. Anthers orange, 3–5.5 mm long, half as long as or equalling the filaments, dehiscing by apical pores. Carpels 8–10(–12); styles free at apex, spreading; stigmas capitate. Drupelets black, cylindric, compressed, 9–10 mm long, 5.5–8 mm wide, inserted near base.