Tree or shrub 3–27 m tall with smooth grey or greybrown bark; branches purplish brown, somewhat angular, usually glabrous or rarely puberulous when young; bark not peeling, lenticellate; slash pink to dull red. Leaves mostly rather thin, oblanceolate, obovate or elliptic to oblong, (1.5–)5–13 cm long, (0.7–)1.2–4.3 cm wide, usually acute to narrowly acutely acuminate, but can be more obtuse in small-leaved forms in south, cuneate to ± rounded at the base, margin densely curved-serrulate; lateral veins 20–25, usually ± at right angles to mid-rib together with the dense tertiary venation prominent above; petiole 1–3(–3.5) mm long, ± slender and often appearing longer since leaves can be borne on very short slender spur shoots, but with a small bud at junction with petiole. Flowers 5–20 in racemiform inflorescences with rhachis up to 2 cm long, less often subumbellate; pedicels 1.3–4 cm long, articulated at base (first flower) or within 3 mm of it, glabrous or rarely puberulous. Sepals oblong-elliptic, unequal, 6–9 mm long, 3–5 mm wide, becoming deep red in fruit, 9–18 mm long, (3.5–)6–8 mm wide. Petals pale to bright yellow, obovate, 8–12 mm long, 3–6 mm wide. Anthers 1–2 mm long, ± 1/2 length of the filaments, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Carpels 5(–6) with styles usually completely united; stigma subglobose or 5–6-lobed. Drupelets black, ellipsoid-cylindric, less often ovoid or subglobose, 8–14 mm long, 5–9 mm wide, inserted at or near base.