A shrub 6–12 ft. high; branches pendulous, reddish-velvety from long hairs when young, finally glabrescent, brown, with numerous minute lenticels. Leaves oblong or ovate, shortly and acutely acuminate, rounded at the base, 2 1/2–4 in. long, 1 1/4–1 2/3 in. broad, rigidly papery, reddish-pubescent on both sides when quite young, soon glabrescent; midrib channelled above, prominent below; secondary nerves slightly oblique, very slender, straight or slightly curved, 12 on each side, connected by rather bold unequal arches; reticulation delicate; petiole scarcely 2 lin. long, pubescent. Panicles elongate, sensitive, bearing very dense clusters of many sessile flowers at the ends of the distant branches, which often act as tendrils; bracts resembling the sepals. Calyx rufo-tomentose, 1–1 1/2 lin. long; sepals lanceolate-ovate, acute. Corolla white, sweet-scented; tube inflated near the base, 5–6 lin. long, rusty-tomentose; lobes oblong, obtuse, about as long as the tube, long ciliate. Stamens inserted just above the calyx; anthers acute. Ovary depressed-globose, densely tomentose. Fruit pyriform, pubescent when young, afterwards more or less globose, subapiculate, 5–15 lin. in diam.; rind smooth, very thin; seeds few, 4–6 lin. long, embedded in a sweetish yellowish-brown pulp.
