Shrubs to 8 m tall, climbing. Branchlets sparsely stellate pubescent, glabrescent. Petiole 5-10 mm, stellate tomentose; leaf blade oblong, elliptic, or obovate-oblong, 5-17 × 2-7 cm, thinly leathery to thickly papery, abaxially densely stellate pubescent, adaxially sparsely stellate pubescent, secondary veins 8-10 on each side of midvein, base obtuse, apex long acuminate to acute. Inflorescences axillary or leaf-opposed, fasciculate, 1-4-flowered. Flowers ca. 1.8 cm in diam. Sepals ovate, ferruginous tomentose. Petals yellowish; outer petals oblong, ca. 8 × 5 mm, ± equal to or slightly larger than inner petals, pubescent. Stamen connectives apically rounded to obtuse, puberulent. Carpels 7-15, pubescent; ovules 6-9 per carpel. Monocarps red, ellipsoid, 2-3.5 × 1.5-2.5 cm; epicarp densely softly spiny. Seeds brown, compressed, 3-angular, 10-12 × 8-9 mm. Fl. May-Jul, fr. Jul-Dec.

The fine, strong bast fibers obtained from the inner bark of Uvaria calamistrata are used for cordage and sack manufacturing.

Forests or scrub on very steep slopes; 200-800 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan [Vietnam].