A shrub 8–10 ft. high; young branches slender, shortly pubescent. Leaves elliptic or oblong-obovate, subabruptly but obtusely caudate-acuminate, slightly narrowed or rounded to a very obtuse or rounded base, 3–7 in. long, 1 1/4–2 3/4 in. broad, acumen 1/2–1 in. long, chartaceous, glabrous and dull on both surfaces; lateral nerves 8–10 on each side of the midrib, spreading from it at an angle of about 60°, prominently looped and branched well within the margin; tertiary nerves and veins forming a loose conspicuous network below; petiole 1–2 lin. long, wrinkled; stipules subpersistent, linear-lanceolate, acute, about 1/4 in. long, nearly glabrous, purplish. Male heads very shortly pedunculate, axillary, about 2 lin. in diam.; basal bracts closely appressed to the receptacle, ovate, about 2/3 lin. long, slightly pubescent outside; floral bracts confluent nearly to the apex, the small short free tips ovoid or subclavate, tomentose. Perianth very small; stamens 2. Female heads globose, about 1/4 in. in diam. when in flower, rough with the shortly tomentose tips of the floral bracts and the long exserted style-arms; basal bracts similar to the male but more hairy. Floral bracts of two kinds, free for half their length, the outer shortly clavate and obtuse, the inner thickly awl-shaped and bristly; style-arms 1/2–1 lin. long. Immature fruiting head about 3/4 in. in diam., bristly with the persistent bracts.
