Description: Small to large tree up to 40 m tall. Bark rusty-brown, with large paler lenticels. Leaves ovate, 4–12 x 2–5 cm; apex acute to acuminate; base acute to obtuse; margin entire; blade dark green above, glaucous beneath; secondary nerves 7–9 pairs; petioles 0.8–4 cm long, joining before margin. Flowers connate in peduncled heads. Bracts 12–20, ovate to obovate-oblong, forming an involucre, the upper ones largest up to 1.5 cm long, caducous. Sepals rudimentary, connate. Petals 0–4, only the outer well developed, spathulate to obovate, glabrous, reddish, 12–18 by 1–3 mm. Stamens 6–11; filaments 1–1.5 cm long, glabrous; anthers elliptic-oblong, 1–2 mm long. Ovary half-inferior, 2-locular, glabrous; ovules 6–8; style 2, long and slender. Capsules, 6–10 in head; head 2–2.5 cm in diam. Seeds 3–4.5 x 2.5–3 mm, mostly sterile wingless seeds, a few fertile narrowly winged seeds. |
