Glabrous shrubby tree 2·7–4·5 m. high, with the habit of Uapaca kirkiana; branches thick, with a rough greyish bark, transversely plicate on the young shoots. Leaves in whorls of 3, coriaceous, shortly petiolate; lamina 6–17 × 3·5–7·8 cm., lanceolate or oblanceolate to oblong-elliptic, emarginate or rounded to acute or apiculate at the apex, cuneate to rounded at the base, with margin incrassate, shallowly crenate and strongly undulate, and colour and venation as in G.livingstonei, but with no visible secretory system; petiole 2–4 mm. long, channelled above, transversely wrinkled; ligule prominent. Male flowers 15–20 mm. in diam., single or in few-flowered fascicles, axillary, on the old wood; pedicels short (up to 9 mm. long), brown. Sepals usually 4, reddish-brown, the outer pair ± orbicular, cucullate, equal, the inner oblong to ovate, obtuse or rounded, unequal and transitional to the corolla. Petals 5, (6) 7–10 mm. long, imbricate, orbicular or broadly obovate, white or pale cream-yellow, with translucent and reddish longitudinal glandular lines. Stamens numerous (c. 100–120), apparently free, inserted in a fleshy cushion formed by the united fasciclodes. Ovary vestige absent. Female flowers with fewer free staminodes inserted in a lobed fleshy cushion. Ovary 3–4 mm. long, globose or broadly ovoid, 2–3-locular, with a fleshy 2–3-lobed stigma. Berry (immature) up to 1·3 cm. long, ovoid-globose, smooth, 1–3-seeded.
