Ocotea lanceolata Nees in Wallich, Pl. Asiat. Rar. 2: 71. 1831; Laurus lanceolaria Roxburgh; O. ligustrina Nees.

Trees, 4-15(-20) m tall. Bark gray-white. Branchlets slender, older ones gray-brown or brown, young ones glabrous or yellowish brown puberulent and soon caducous. Buds densely yellowish gray tomentose. Petiole 1-2.5 cm, glabrous; leaf blade usually purplish red on both surfaces when young, lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, 13-22(-25) × 3-5.5(-6.5) cm, thickly papery, abaxially pubescent when young, glabrous on both surfaces when old, midrib thick, elevated adaxially, lateral veins 9-13(-15) pairs, slender but conspicuous, veinlets invisible on both surfaces or slightly conspicuous abaxially, base attenuate and decurrent, apex acuminate or long acuminate, summit usually falcate. Panicles variable in length, usually 12-15 cm, longer one to 20 cm, shorter one 4-5 cm, branched near top of peduncle; peduncle and pedicel glabrous. Pedicel as long as perianth, usually glaucous. Flowers pale green or yellowish green, 3-4 mm. Perianth lobes subequal, ovate, 2.5-3 mm, glabrous outside, gray-white pubescent inside. Filaments gray-white pubescent at base, those of 3rd series with sessile glands at base. Ovary glabrous. Fruit ovoid, 9-12 × 6-7 mm, usually with short rostrum at apex; fruiting pedicel slightly thickened; persistent perianth lobes straw-yellow, leathery, clasping base of fruit or lax. Fl. Apr-May, fr. Jul-Sep.

Broad-leaved mountain forests, common; usually below 1500 m. S Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand].