Shrub or small much-branched tree up to 5 m. high and 5 m. in diameter, with rough bark. Young branches pubescent or less often glabrous, conspicuously angled and ribbed. Leaves very coriaceous, often drying somewhat concave, slightly to strongly papillose-scabrid, especially above; petiole 3–7 mm. long, pubescent on upper surface; lamina 3·8–7·5 x 2·5–4·8 cm., broadly elliptic to subcircular, the apex obtuse with blunt or sharp mucro, the base rounded; upper surface glossy, with midrib level and lateral veins faintly raised or impressed, glabrous except for a line of hairs sometimes continuing from the petiole along the midrib; lower surface mat, midrib raised, laterals faintly so; lateral veins looped to join their neighbours. Inflorescences dense contracted many-flowered axillary cymes; flowers sweet-smelling, with pink or red corolla tube and white lobes. Calyx 2–2·5 mm. long, lobes ovate-acute with often slightly recurved tip, strongly imbricate, dorsally pubescent and ciliate. Corolla tube 9–12 mm. long, glabrous to minutely pubescent on external surface, long-pilose above and wrinkled below, on inner surface; corolla lobes subcircular with apex rounded or cuspidate, 3–5·5 mm. long, ciliate or not, pubescent or glabrous. Stamens inserted at the top of the corolla tube so that the anther tips are just visible at anthesis; anthers 1–1·3 mm. long. Ovary 0·6–0·7 mm. long, conical. Ripe fruit up to 2 cm. in diameter, subglobose, red to purple, 1–2-seeded. Seeds up to 1 cm. long.
