Trees 3-10 m tall; branchlets, young leaves, and inflorescences rust-colored tomentose. Leaves alternate or crowded apically on twigs; petiole stoutish, 2-15 mm, tomentose; leaf blade obovate-oblong to oblanceolate, 15-38 × 7-12 cm, ± leathery, abaxially tomentose, adaxially glabrescent, base cuneate to obtuse, margin serrulate; secondary veins 11-21 on each side of midvein; reticulate veins conspicuous. Inflorescences axillary or ramiflorous, 10-30 cm; rachis 2-4 mm in diam.; bracts of flower pairs lanceolate, 2-3 mm; floral bracts subulate, 1-2 mm. Pedicels 2-5 mm, connate to middle. Perianth red, 2-3 cm, tomentose; limb ellipsoid, ca. 3 mm in diam. Anther ca. 2 mm. Hypogynous glands connate into a crenate cup. Ovary glabrous. Fruit dull brown, ellipsoid to ± globose, ca. 4 × 3 cm, apex apiculate; pericarp ca. 0.5 mm thick, leathery. Fl. Mar-Aug, fr. Oct-Dec.

Mountainous regions, forests in moist mountain valleys; 1100-2400 m. S to SE Yunnan [N Vietnam].