A shrub up to 1.5 m tall. Young shoots and petioles sparingly pubescent, otherwise plant glabrous. Petioles 1-2.5 cm. Leaf-blades obovate to oblanceolate or subpanduriform, 6-10 (-13) x 1.5-5 cm, acutely cuspidate-acuminate, narrowed to the base, entire except sometimes at the base which may be glandular-denticulate, 3-7-nerved from the base and with 8-12 pairs of lateral nerves, not prominent. Stipules subulate, 1 mm long. Inflorescences subterminal, subcorymbiform, 8-13 cm long with a clear peduncle 5-8 cm long; bracts linear-lanceolate, 2-10 mm long, subentire. Male flowers: pedicels 1-2 mm long; calyx-lobes ovate-triangular, 1 x 1 mm, subacute or obtuse, entire; petals oblanceolate, 10-11 x 4-5 mm, rounded, pink or scarlet; disc-glands free, flattened, rounded; stamens 10, the 5 outer 5 mm long, the 5 inner 1 cm long, anthers 1 mm long. Female flowers: pedicels 5.mm long; calyx-lobes lanceolate, 2 x 1 mm, acute or subacute, entire; corolla and disc ± as in the ♂ flowers; ovary ovoid, 2 x 1.5 mm; styles 3 mm long, deeply bifid. Fruit rounded-trigonous, c. 1 x 1 cm., septicidally and loculicidally dehiscent. Seeds ovoid-ellipsoid, 8-9 x 5 mm, buff-coloured, mottled blackish-brown; caruncle bifid, 2 mm wide.

Fl. Per.: March.

Holotype: Cuba, cult. Havana, Pr. de la Sagra s.n. (W!). Photo. of holotype (K!).

Distribution: Cuba, Hispaniola. Widely cultivated in the tropics generally.