Eriolaena glabrescens Hu (1924), not Aug. Candolle (1903).

Trees, up to 10 m tall, old leaves present at anthesis. Branchlets slightly stellate hairy or nearly glabrous. Petiole 2-3 cm, nearly glabrous; leaf blade orbicular or ovate-orbicular, 7-10 × 6-10 cm, both surfaces sparsely stellate hairy when young, nearly glabrous or abaxially with scales or stellate hairs on veins and midrib when mature, basal veins 7, slightly pink abaxially, base shallowly cordate, apex acute or shortly acuminate. Inflorescence flat-topped, many-flowered; peduncle pink (reddish) stellate tomentose. Pedicel robust, ca. 1 cm; epicalyx lobes linear, ca. 14 mm, pinnately divided, apex acute, indumentum red. Sepals 5, linear-lanceolate, ca. 2.5 × 0.5 cm, abaxially red stellate, adaxially tomentose, apex acuminate. Petals 5, yellow, oblong-spatulate, 2.5-3 × ca. 0.8 cm, base tapering into stipe, tomentulose, apex obtuse. Stamens many, connate into ca. 1.5 cm tube, free part very short. Ovary globose, 8-locular; style puberulent; stigma 8-lobed. Capsule ovoid or ovoid-ellipsoid, 3.5-4.5 cm, 8-valved, densely yellowish stellate tomentulose, apex acute or longer beaked. Seeds many, winged. Fl. Aug-Sep, fr. Nov-Dec.

Eriolaena glabrescens Hu is based on a different type (from Yunnan) than that of E. glabrescens Aug. Candolle (from Vietnam). The choice of the same epithet is a clear indication of the distinctive sparse indumentum.

Mountain slopes, valleys; 800-1300 m. S Yunnan [Thailand, S Vietnam].