Trees; young shoots and rachis of inflorescences densely puberulent. Winter bud scales velutinous. Petiole 1.5-3 cm; leaf blade elliptic to oblong, 10-20 × 5-9 cm, thickly papery to nearly leathery, base acute and inaequilateral, margin serrate except basally entire, apex mucronate; midvein abaxially conspicuously raised, adaxially slightly impressed; secondary veins 14-20. Female inflorescences ca. 20 cm. Infructescence rachis 4-5 mm thick. Cupule subglobose, 3.5-4(-5) cm in diam., wall ca. 1.5 mm thick; bracts spinelike, congested, entirely covering cupule, 1-1.5 cm, 3- or 4-angled in cross section, free or base connate into bundles, nearly glabrous. Nut 1 per cupule, broadly conical, 1.4-1.6 cm, apex cuspidate; scar basal. Fl. Mar-May, fr. Oct-Dec of following year.

Broad-leaved evergreen forests; 500-800 m. SE Xizang (Mêdog Xian), S Yunnan [NE India, NE Myanmar]