Trees, ca. 6 m tall, ca. 12 cm d.b.h. Branchlets many lenticellate; floral branchlets angled. Leaves alternate; petiole reddish, 5-13 mm; leaf blade opaque and light rusty when dry abaxially, very shiny adaxially, oblong, elliptic, or ovate, 5.5-12 × 1.5-4.6 cm, thickly leathery, sparsely pubescent abaxially, midrib elevated abaxially, impressed adaxially, always papillate near base, lateral veins 5-7 pairs, slightly elevated abaxially, obscurely visible adaxially, veins and veinlets finely reticulate, inconspicuous adaxially, base obtuse, apex acute or caudate. Flowers unknown. Infructescence axillary or terminal. Fruit black, ellipsoid, 13-15 mm, papillate, inconspicuously 12-angulate. Fr. Aug-Dec.

Allen (J. Arnold Arbor. 23: 459. 1942) suggested that Cryptocarya tsangii may be a form of C. metcalfiana. It is treated here temporarily as a distinct species because the present authors have not seen flowering specimens. More material is needed to make a definitive decision.

● Hainan.