Trees ca. 13 m tall. Branchlets and inflorescences densely dusty yellow to gray velvety. Branchlets purple-brown, with sparse oblong to linear lenticels, subglabrescent, nodes with a prominent leaf scar. Petiole 1.5-2 cm; leaf blade elliptic to broadly ovate, 6.5-17 X 5.5-10 cm, subleathery, abaxially pubescent, adaxially shiny, base subrounded, apex abruptly acuminate; veins 6-8 pairs, midvein abaxially very prominent. Inflorescences spikelike thyrses with sessile cymes laxly arranged on axis; bracts ovate, ca. 5 X 2 mm, minutely tomentose. Calyx ca. 2 mm, 2-lipped; lips entire, yellowish velvety. Corolla exserted from calyx, 4-lobed, tube ca. 2 mm, pilose in throat. Stamens and style exserted; filaments glabrous. Ovary apically pubescent. Fruit globose, 1.5-2 mm in diam. Fl. May.

Mixed forests; 600-1300 m. SE Xizang, S Yunnan [Bangladesh, Bhutan, India].