Trees, large. Bark at base of trunk gray to black, fibrous and subtessellated, and persistent, apically grayish green, smooth, and exfoliating. Branchlets terete, with rough pubescence. Young leaves opposite, 4 or 5 pairs, peltate, shortly petiolate; leaf blade ovate, 7-15 × 4-9 cm, abaxially pubescent. Mature leaves with a 1-2 cm petiole with rough pubescence; leaf blade ovate, 10-14 × 1-7 cm, thinly leathery, abaxially gray and pubescent, secondary veins few and 4-10 mm apart, intramarginal veins 2-3 mm from margin, base rounded, apex acute. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, paniculate, 8-11 cm, umbels 3- or 7-flowered; peduncle pubescent, secondary peduncle 0.8-1.5 cm, terete. Flower buds obovoid, ca. 10 × 6-7 mm. Hypanthium semiglobose, ca. 6 mm; stipe 0-3 mm; calyptra 4-4.5 mm, apex rounded. Stamens 8-10 mm; anthers obovoid-oblong, dorsifixed, dehiscing longitudinally. Style 5-7 mm. Capsule globose, 1-1.3 cm in diam., apical part constricted; aperture 5-6 mm in diam.; disk broad; valves 3, included in hypanthium. Fl. Oct-Nov.

Cultivated in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi, and Taiwan [native to NE Australia].