Tree or many-stemmed scandent shrub up to 12 m. tall. Leaves opposite or subopposite; lamina subcoriaceous to papyraceous, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, (1.5–)5–11.5 cm. long, (1.1–)1.5–5.5 cm. wide, apex usually ± acuminate, base acute or obtuse, glabrous or very sparsely pubescent, tufts of hairs in the axils of the lateral nerves beneath absent or inconspicuous, sparsely golden lepidote beneath; lateral nerves 4–8 pairs; petiole 6–25 mm. long. Inflorescences 3–10.5 cm. long, solitary or rarely 2–3 in the axils of the upper leaves (the leaves may fall to give the appearance of a branched terminal panicle). Flowers yellowish or white, scented. Lower and upper receptacles rufous lepidote, otherwise glabrous. Sepals broadly triangular. Petals narrowly elliptic, 1.5 mm. long, 0.25 mm. wide, glabrous. Stamen-filaments 3 mm. long; anthers 0.4 mm. long. Disk 1.5–2 mm. in diameter, pilose, indented where the filaments are inserted, without a distinct free margin. Style 2 mm. long. Fruit (fig. 4/2, p. 15) subcircular to transversely elliptic in outline, 1.5–2 cm. in diameter, rufous or golden lepidote, otherwiseglabrous; apical peg absent; wings 7–9 mm. broad, sometimes flushed red; stipe 2–3 mm. long. Cotyledons 2, broadly reniform, petiolate, borne above soil-level. Scales (fig. 1/2, p. 12) similar to C. celastroides but mature leaves with scales as small as 50 μ in diameter.