Shrub or small tree 2–7(–9) m tall with ± thick dark grey corrugated or reticulately fissured corky bark; slash raw meat coloured; branches mostly not lenticellate, with white or pale yellowish brown bark peeling off in papery strips. Leaves ± coriaceous, obovate-oblanceolate to oblong, 5.5–13.5(–17.5) cm long, (1.3–)1.7–6.5 cm wide, broadly to narrowly rounded at the apex, narrowly cuneate at the base, the margin densely curved-serrulate; lateral veins ± 20, widely spreading, more prominent above than beneath; finely reticulate tertiary venation prominent on both surfaces or less so beneath; petiole (3–)5–12 mm long, thick and flattened above. Flowers precocious, 4–10 in racemiform clusters with rhachis up to 8 mm long or pseudoumbellate; pedicels (1–)1.5–3.5(–4.2) cm long, jointed almost at the base. Sepals obovate-elliptic, 4–6 cm long, 3–4.5 wide, rounded, becoming orange-red to deep red in fruit, 10–15 mm long, 6–8 mm wide. Petals bright yellow, obovate to obovate-oblong, 5.5–10 mm long, 4–5.5 mm wide. Anthers 1–2 mm long, about 2/3 the length of the filaments, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Carpels usually 5; styles completely united; stigma globose or slightly bilobed. Drupelets black, subglobose, 7–9(–10) mm long, 6–7(–10) mm wide, inserted near the base.
