Trees ca. 3 m tall. Branchlets of current year sulcate. Petiole 3-5 mm, white farinose when dry; leaf blade broadly obovate, 4-6.5 × 2.5-4 cm, rigidly leathery, abaxially with dense scalelike glands and ± glaucous when dry, base broadly cuneate and decurrent on petiole, apex rounded; secondary veins 10-12 on each side of midvein, ending at margin; tertiary veins abaxially not visible. Female inflorescences 2-4, congested at apex of branches, 4-7 cm; rachis ± with scalelike glands; cupules in clusters of ca. 3. Mature cupules unknown. Fl. Feb.

Further study is needed to determine whether plants named as Lithocarpus phansipanensis from Guangxi are in fact this species.

Scrub on hill tops; circa 1000 m. Guangxi (Shangsi Xian) [N Vietnam]