Glabrous shrub or tree, upto 8 m or more tall, with grey-brown bark and stilt roots from lower part of stem. Leaves with 1.5-3.5 cm long petioles; lamina obovate to obovate-oblong rarely broadly elliptic-oblong, (3-) 4-8 (-10) cm long, (1.5-) 2-5 (-7) cm broad, cuneate at the base, obtuse at the apex, margins ± wavy, yellowish-green; stipules lanceolate-oblong, up to 2.5 cm long. Flowers small, c. 6-8 mm long, shortly pedicellate; disc 5-lobed; peduncles c. 1 cm long, 4-10-flowered; buds pentagonal; bracteoles obtuse, c. 2 mm long. Calyx-tube c. 2 mm long, lobes 5, triangular-ovate, 4-5 mm long, upright in flower, acute. Petals 5, oblong, c. 3 mm long, white, becoming brown later, basally coherent by hooked hairs, beset with 3 clavate appendages at the truncate apex. Staminal filaments 3-5 mm long, alternately short and long; anthers somewhat ovoid, shorter than the filaments, basifixed. Ovary half-inferior, protruding beyond the hypanthium; style c. 2 mm long, stigma simple. Fruit ovoid, 1.5-2.5 cm long, crowned by reflexed calyx lobes. Hypocotyl distinctly ridged lengthwise, up to 25 cm long.

Fl. Per.: July-September.

Type: Described’ from Philippine Islands.

Distribution: Pakistan eastwards to Philippines, N. Australia, Micronesia, East African coasts and Indian Ocean Islands.

All parts of the plant contain astringent principles used in tanning. A decoction of the bark is applied to cure malignant ulcers and check haemorrhage.

Ceriops decandra (Griff.) Ding Hou (= Ceriops roxburgiana Arn.) is also recorded from Sind by R.R. Stewart (l.c.) but presence of this species in our area seems doubtful. It is very similar to the preceding species in habit and foliage but differs in having apically fringed basally almost free petals and calyx segments remaining ± upright in fruit.