Shrub or tree 2–9 m. tall, often much branched; branches spreading, densely brownish pubescent or tomentellous when young, later glabrous, scarred by the persistent petiole-bases. Leaf-blades elliptic-oblong to obovate, 2.3–10(–15) cm. long, 1–6.5 cm. wide, obtuse, rounded or emarginate at the apex, cuneate to subcordate at the base, mostly rather thick, glabrescent on both surfaces or often densely to sparsely pubescent beneath, the midrib at least persistently adpressed pubescent or tomentellous; venation raised or rather obscure; petiole l–4(–8) mm. long, pubescent. Flowers solitary or 2–3 in clusters, opening after the leaves have fallen; pedicels almost obsolete; bracteoles 2–3, rounded-elliptic, cucullate, the inner ones enclosing the bud, silvery pilose with adpressed brown hairs outside, glabrous and rugose inside. Sepals ovate-elliptic, 4–6 mm. long, 4–5.5 mm. wide, acute or obtuse, cucullate, spreading, with indumentum similar to that of the bracteoles. Corolla yellow, greenish or cream; tube 5–6 mm. long; lobes narrowly lanceolate, inner whorl narrower with lobes indented inwards at the base above the tube and margins reflexed to form a covered hollow, 1–2 cm. long, 3.5–6 mm. wide, obtuse, thin, corrugated, with silky brown hairs at the base outside, adpressed puberulous outside towards the apex and also inside. Stamens linear or obconic, 1–1.5 mm. long, glabrous. Carpels 4–6, densely pubescent. Fruit subsessile; monocarps scarlet, l–3(–4), obovoid or ellipsoid-cylindric, or if few-seeded transversely ellipsoid, 1.5–5 cm. long, 1–2.5 cm. wide, 2–8(–ll)-seeded, not or somewhat constricted between the seeds, sparsely puberulous with brown hairs, finely rugose or reticulate-rugose, sessile. Seeds brown, compressed-ovoid, shaped like a spider’s body, 1.2–1.5 cm. long, 6–9 mm. wide, 7–8 mm. thick, with a raised rounded triangular terminal hilum produced into lateral rugose ridges at either side.
