Shrub or small tree, 10–15 ft. high; branches slender, virgate, woody. Leaves clustered towards the ends of the twigs, very shortly petioled, coriaceous, oblanceolate-oblong, acute or obtuse, narrowed from the middle to the acute base, margin shortly toothed in the upper half, 3–7 in. long, 3/4–2 in. wide, glabrous on both surfaces; petiole 1/8– 1/4 in. long. Racemes spike-like, floriferous almost to the base, from the axils of the upper leaves; rhachis puberulous; bracts ovate, obtuse, concave, densely silky externally; pedicels shorter than the calyx, pubescent. Male: Sepals 3, ovate-triangular, 1/6 in. long, yellowish-white. Stamens numerous; filaments slender, 1/4 in. long. Female: Sepals 5–6, indistinguishable from the bracts under the male flowers, ovate, obtuse, densely silky externally, glabrous and purple within, 1/5 in. long. Ovary 3-celled, densely villous, each cell with two short dorsal ridges; styles 3, puberulous, free almost to the base. Capsule not seen.
