Subshrub 0.05–1(–2) m tall from an often branched rhizome; bark brown or greyish, ± rough, flaking; branches purplish with pale lenticels, becoming paler. Leaves petiolate; lamina oblong or elliptic to oblanceolate, less often obovate, 2.5–12(–16) cm long, 1.2–3.7 cm wide, acute or mucronate to rounded at the apex, cuneate at the base, margin glandular-serrate or rarely entire with venation similar to B. zanguebarica; petiole 1–4(–14) mm long; stipules laciniate or fin-like, persistent on young stems. Flowers solitary or 2–4 in fascicles, the fascicles often clustered together at the base of young shoots, appearing before the leaves; pedicels (0.9–)1.3–2.5 cm long. Sepals pink, oblong, at first 5–6 mm long, rounded, spreading or reflexed after flowering, becoming crimson-red in fruit and enlarging to 8–10 mm. Petals white, often tinged pink or with a pink central line, obovate to narrowly-oblanceolate, 6–8 mm long, narrowed to the base. Stamens (13–19)20(–21–22); anthers yellow, 1.5–2 mm long, often twisting spirally after dehiscence. Carpels 5–7 with styles completely united; stigma small. Drupelets black, 6–8 mm long and wide.