Shrub or small tree 1.5–6 m tall with pale brown slender wiry branches. Leaves subcoriaceous; lamina elliptic to narrowly oblong, 4–17.5 cm long, 1.3–4.3 cm wide, sharply acute to slightly acuminate at the apex, narrowly cuneate at the base, spinulose-serrate to subentire and usually quite entire near base; lateral veins 8–16, ascending, with numerous secondary veins almost at right angles to the midrib and reticulate tertiary veins, all prominent on both sides; petiole 2–5 mm long; stipules linear-triangular, 2.5–3.5 mm long, striate, very acute, persistent on young growth. Flowers 1–2(–3) in axils of bracts (which are persistent at least in anthesis) along a terminal or axillary very condensed almost spherical panicle 5–6 cm long and wide, shorter than the leaves; rhachis slender, green; basal bracts linear-triangular, 2.5 mm long, finely pointed, persistent; peduncle 0–1.5 cm long; pedicels 8–22 mm long in fruit, articulated 1.5–5 mm from the base. Sepals oblong, 5–7 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide, rounded at the apex, becoming red and up to 9 mm long, 3 mm wide in fruit. Petals bright yellow or orange-yellow, narrowly obovate, 8–10 mm long, 4–5 mm wide, rounded or retuse at the apex. Anthers yellow, 4.5–6 mm long. Drupelets at first red, eventually black, cylindric-ellipsoid, 7–8 mm long, 5–5.5 mm wide.