Tree up to 20 m. tall; young branches, leaves and inflorescences densely tomentose with mixed simple, stellate and branched hairs, soon becoming glabrous. Leaf-lamina 6–13 (18) × 3·5–7·5 (11) cm., elliptic to broadly elliptic, acute or slightly apiculate or rounded at the apex, cuneate or obtuse or slightly cordate at the base; petiole 2–10 mm. long. Inflorescence up to 15 cm. long, with opposite cymose branches. Flowers erect, mauve; bracteoles 1·3–1·5 mm. long, linear, caducous; pedicels up to 1·5 cm. long, stout. Sepals 3·2 × 1·8 mm., free or slightly united at the base, ovate, minutely tomentose with branched hairs on the outer surface and simple sericeous hairs within. Petals 3–3·5 × 0·6–0·7 cm., narrowly oblanceolate, straight or somewhat recurved, whitish or mauve, tomentose with simple or branched hairs on the outside and simple hairs directed downwards inside. Stamens as long as the petals, inserted at the base of an annular disk; filaments filiform; anthers 1·3–1·5 mm. long, dorsifixed, sagittate; staminodes longer than the petals, very narrowly oblanceolate, caudate, dotted with bright crimson glands. Gynophore 5 mm. long, glandular. Ovary 2–3 mm. in diam., globose, apiculate, papillose; style 18–20 mm. long; stigma capitate. Fruit a 5-lobed strongly rugose warty septicidal capsule 3·5 cm. in diam., dehiscing from below with the 5 valves remaining attached to the top of a central column.
