Trees small, 4–10 m tall. Young branchlets ferrugineous pubescent, prominently lenticellate. Leaves usually clustered at branchlet apex, biennial; petiole 1–2 cm; leaf blade brown-green abaxially, becoming brown after drying adaxially, oblanceolate to obovate-lanceolate or long elliptic, 6–15 × 2–5 cm, thickly leathery, glabrous abaxially, lateral veins 7–10-paired, convex abaxially, slightly visible adaxially, reticulate veins indistinct on both surfaces, base cuneate, margin entire, slightly reflexed or slightly rugose after drying, apex acute or acuminate. Inflorescences paniculate, with many corymbs; primary peduncle 2–4 cm, together with primary axis ferrugineous pubescent; secondary peduncles 1–1.8 cm; corymbs 8–12-flowered; bracteoles lanceolate, 2–3 mm, deciduous, margin ciliate; pedicels 3–6 mm; flowers fragrant. Sepals free or slightly connate at base, ovate, 2–3 mm, glabrous abaxially, margin ciliate. Petals free, yellow-white, 6–7 mm. Stamens slightly shorter than petals; filament 3–4 mm; anther 1.5–2 mm. Ovary long ovoid, pubescent; placentas at base of ovary; ovules 2–4. Capsule oblate, compressed, 6–8 mm in diam., dehiscing by 2 valves; pericarp thinly woody, horizontally numerous striate adaxially. Seeds 2–4, black after drying, subreniform, 4–5 mm. Fl. Mar–May, fr. Jun–Oct.

This species is close to Pittosporum wightii A. K. Mukherjee (P. floribundum Wight & Arnott, Oct 1834, not Royle, Jun 1834), from S India and Madagascar, which differs in having leaf blades smaller, thinly leathery, corymbs clustered into a compoundly umbellate inflorescence, and seeds 5–8.

The roots and bark can be used medicinally.

Forests, mountains; 700--2300 m. S Yunnan [Laos, Myanmar, Thailand].