Trees, to 10 m tall. Stems very short, broadly branched. Branchlets terete or subterete, sometimes apically much compressed, sometimes shallowly grooved. Petiole 5-10 mm; leaf blade lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate, oblong, or linear, 8-26 × 2-4.5 cm, leathery or stiffly papery, both surfaces with numerous small pellucid glands, secondary veins 8-25 on each side of midvein, 0.7-1.5 cm apart, and abaxially obviously raised, reticulate veins conspicuous, intramarginal veins 2-3(-4) mm from margin, base narrow to broadly cuneate, apex acuminate to long acuminate. Inflorescences usually terminal cymes with several flowers, sometimes axillary and solitary; peduncle 1-3.5 cm. Flowers white or pink, 3-4 cm in diam. Hypanthium obconic, 0.8-1.5 cm. Calyx lobes 4, semiorbicular or triangular-ovate, 5-8 × 6-9 mm. Petals distinct, broadly ovate, 1.4-1.5 cm. Stamens 1.5-2.8 cm; anthers ca. 1.5 mm. Style 2-3.5 cm. Fruit pale yellow or red when ripe, globose or ellipsoid, 2.5-5 cm in diam., with oil glands, 1- or 2-seeded, pericarp fleshy. Embryos numerous. Fl. Mar-Apr, fr. May-Jun or Nov-Dec.

Mixed forests, mountain slopes, riversides, river valleys; below 100 to 1500 m. Cultivated and sometimes escaped in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Sichuan, Taiwan (var. tripinnatum believed to be native), and Yunnan (var. linearilimbum believed to be native) [Philippines; origin of var. jambos uncertain but possibly W Malesia and SE Asia].