Trees evergreen, to 25 m; bark gray-brown; branches stout, with white oblong lenticels. Leaves with petiole 2–6 cm; leaf blade obovate-elliptic or obovate-lanceolate, 9–16 × 3.5–7 cm, leathery, abaxially pale green and pubescent with sparse 1-celled, 2-armed hairs along midvein, adaxially dark green and shiny, lateral veins 6–11 pairs, distinct on both surfaces, tertiary veins inconspicuous adaxially, base narrowly cuneate, margin entire, apex acute. Inflorescence terminal, paniculate (spikelike), to 30 cm, upper part spikelike with solitary flowers and sessile, lower flowers umbellate, umbels 3–5-flowered, peduncles 0.2–1.5 cm, pedicels absent, flowers articulate below calyx tube. Calyx tube 3–4 mm, densely pubescent, margin 5-dentate. Petals 5, ca. 3 mm, fleshy, pubescent outside. Stamens 10, 5 often sterile; filaments shorter than petals. Style conical. Fruit oblong-ovoid to oblong-ellipsoid, slightly compressed laterally, 2–3 × 4.5–5.5 cm, hard when dry, with subconspicuous linear veins and very thick mesocarp, 1-seeded, seed laterally compressed and curved, horseshoe-shaped in cross section.

This species is used for timber and as an ornamental.

Evergreen broad-leaved forests on slopes or in valleys; 1300–1900 m. Guangdong (Yangchun, Yangjiang, Yuyuan), Guangxi, S Guizhou, S Hunan (Mang Shan), SE Yunnan (Pingbian, Xichou) [N Vietnam].