Small tree, shrub or subshrub 0.3–6(–8) m tall with pale grey rough deeply fissured bark; branches reddish to purple-brown, mostly smooth, becoming whitish, with epidermis exfoliating, usually lenticellate, sometimes minutely papillose-puberulous. Leaves often bronze-tinged and sometimes drying quite dark bluish green, thin, obovate to oblanceolate or elliptic, (2.5–)3.5–10(–12) cm long, 1–3(–5) cm wide, narrowly rounded at the apex or subacute, cuneate to narrowly rounded at the base, margin densely usually rather shallowly serrulate; lateral veins ± 30, ± at right angles to midrib then more strongly curved upwards; tertiary venation closely reticulate, prominent above, much less so beneath; petiole 1–2 mm long. Buds large, ovoid, 15 mm long, 8 mm wide, acute, imbricate, the bracts strongly striate. Flowers (5–)6–10(–14) in elongated raceme-like inflorescences with rhachis 0.3–2.5(–3.5) cm long, rarely subumbellate; pedicels slender (1–)1.8–2.8(–3.5) cm long, papillose-puberulous or glabrous, jointed 1–7 mm from the base. Sepals pale green, oblong-elliptic, 5–7 mm long 1.5–2 mm wide, rounded at the apex becoming deep red in fruit and enlarging to 10–12(–15) mm long, 7 mm wide. Petals pale yellow, obovate to round, 9–13 mm long, 5–8 mm wide. Anthers 1–2 mm long, about 1/2 the length of the filaments, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Carpels 5(–6–7); styles completely united; stigma subglobose. Drupelets black, ovoid or somewhat curved, (7–)8.5–10 mm long, 5–6 mm wide. Fig. 3 (p. 27).
