A shrub or tree with pyramidal crown; branches subterete, glabrous; young branchlets densely covered with brown overlapping scales, not hairy. Leaves ovate-lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, obtuse or slightly pointed, rounded at the base, 1 1/2–2 1/2 in. long, 1/2–1 1/4 in. broad, entire, almost membranous, glabrous and yellowish-brown on the upper surface, densely covered with silvery scales beneath with a few brownish ones scattered here and there, not at all hairy; lateral nerves 8–10 on each side, spreading, faint and looped on the upper surface, usually slightly raised below; glands 2 at the base of the blade, cupular, subsessile, fleshy, glabrous; petiole 3–6 lin. long, densely covered with scales; stipules minute. Flowers monœcious. Racemes terminating lateral branchlets, 3/4–1 1/2 in. long, few-flowered, the females at the base, the males in the upper part; axis angular, densely scaly. Male flowers: pedicel 1–1 1/2 lin. long. Sepals 6, broadly ovate, obtuse, 1 lin. long, 3/4 lin. broad, densely scaly outside, shortly villous on the margin, glabrous within. Petals oblong, obtuse, 1 lin. long, 1/3 lin. broad, villous on the margin, otherwise glabrous. Disk-glands rounded, fleshy, glabrous. Stamens 20; filaments pubescent. Receptacle pilose. Female flowers: pedicel rather stout, 2 lin. long, scaly. Sepals 5, ovate, obtuse, 3/4 lin. long, 2/3 lin. broad, scaly outside, shortly villous on the margin, glabrous within. Petals absent. Disk annular, fleshy, glabrous. Ovary covered with orbicular overlapping membranous scales; styles bipartite to near the base; segments linear, glabrous, slightly swollen and minutely bifid at the apex. Fruits not known.
