Information

Deciduous shrub or small tree 1.8–9 m tall with dark brown, grey or ± black rough bark; branchlets purplish grey, often ± densely lenticellate. Leaves coppery when young, thin, narrowly to broadly elliptic, elliptic-oblong or lanceolate-elliptic, 1.3–6(–8) cm long, 0.8–2.5(–4) cm wide, acute to obtuse at the apex, rounded to subcordate at the base, margins closely evenly serrate; venation rather pale, prominently reticulate on both surfaces; stipules linear-lanceolate, 4 mm long, usually fimbriate or undivided save at extreme apex, ± persistent until the leaves thicken; petiole 1–3 mm long. Buds fusiform, 7 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, bracts often adhering to pedicel bases. Inflorescences forming paniculate clusters up to 5 cm diameter, the side branches reduced to short 1–3(–4)-flowered nodules, usually precocious, often flowering when quite leafless; pedicels 1.6–2.5 cm long, jointed 3–6 mm from base. Sepals oblong, ± unequal, 6–8 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, obtuse, becoming scarlet and enlarging to 9–10x3.5–5 mm. Petals yellow, obovate, 12–14 mm long, 6–7 mm wide, veined. Anthers 1.5–2 mm long, dehiscing by apical pores; filaments 2–5 mm long. Carpels 5; styles joined save at apex, the branches short and slightly spreading. Drupelets black, ellipsoid 7–9 mm long, 5–6 mm wide, attached near base.