Shrub or rhizomatous shrublet 0.3–1.3 m tall with brown bark; shoots often caespitose, branched, greyish white with papery epidermis often peeling. Leaves subcoriaceous, mostly ± glaucous, obovate to obovate-oblanceolate, less often oblong, (3–)4–12(–14) cm long, 1.2–4.5(–5.2) cm wide, rounded or subacute at the apex, rarely ± emarginate and minutely apiculate, cuneate and somewhat twisted or curved at base, entire or remotely spinulose serrate; lateral veins 20–30, together with very finely reticulate tertiary venation prominent on both surfaces; petiole 2–4 mm long, ± thickened and grooved beneath; stipules triangular, 1–2 mm long. Flowers sometimes appearing when almost leafless, 1–3(–4) in false umbels which often form panicles; pedicels 0.9–2.8 cm long, jointed at the base. Sepals oblong-elliptic, 3–5 mm long, 2–2.5 mm wide, rounded at apex, turning bright deep crimson in fruit and enlarging to 9–15 mm long, 6 mm wide. Petals bright yellow, elliptic to obovate, 6–9 mm long, 4–6 mm wide. Anthers 1–2 mm long, 2/3 as long as filaments, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Carpels 5; styles completely united; stigma globose. Drupelets black, subglobose, 6–8 mm long, 5–6 mm wide, inserted at base, wrinkled when dry.