Tree up to 6 m. or more tall with slender trunk; branchlets slender, clad as are young lvs, petioles and infl. branchlets in dense ferruginous tomentum. Lvs of juveniles of very diverse form, from (a) 10-20 × 2-4 mm., linear, sinuate, irregularly toothed or lobed to subentire, (b) 5-10 × 3-5 mm., ovate, ± serrately toothed. Lvs of adults 2.5-6 cm. long, including petiole, 1-2 cm. wide, elliptic-ovate to obovate, sinuate or not. Umbels terminal, 2-5-fld, subtended by lf-like bracts, or fls solitary; peduncles up to 2 cm. long, pedicels slender, c. 1 cm. long. Sepals narrow-ovate, acute to acuminate, clad in ferruginous tomentum; petals dark red, tips reflexed. Capsules subglobose, subcompressed, c. 1 cm. diam., 2-valved; valves slightly furrowed, granulate. Fls and frs are sts met with while plant is still in semi-juvenile stage.

Pubescence greyish white. Lvs of juveniles up to 4 cm. × 2-3 mm., linear; of semi-juveniles up to 4 cm. × 4-5 mm., linear to linear-obovate; of adults 3-5 cm. × 5-10 mm., elliptic to narrow obovate-oblong, acute to obtuse. Sepals narrow-lanceolate, acute; petals dark red, sharply reflexed. Capsules obovoid to subpyriform, c. 1·8 × 1 cm.

2n = 24