Monoecious tree, 4-8 m tall, glabrous but with the lower midrib of leaf minutely hirtellous; trunk slender, sometimes forming adventitious roots. Leaves borne individually at apex of short shoots to ca 1 cm long; blades ovate, narrowly very long-acuminate at apex, rounded at base, 4-10 cm long, 2-6 cm wide, the midrib raised above; major lateral veins in 3 or 4 pairs. Flowers brownish-purple, borne in racemes to 2 cm long from near apex of short shoot before leaves appear; rachis hirtellous; bracts +/- lanceolate, ca 0.5 mm long; pedicels ca 1 mm long; staminate flowers borne individually along rachis (usually less than 12 per inflorescence); tepals usually 5, oblong-obovate, rounded at apex, ca 1.5 mm long, +/- spreading; stamens usually 9, to 4.5 mm long; pistillate flowers not seen. Fruits narrowly ovoid, red, to 9 mm long and 6 mm wide (dried), often moderately well developed before leaves appear. Croat 8339, 14991. Apparently rare on the island; collected on Standley Trail 1340 and north of Zetek Trail on the escarpment in the old forest. Flowers in early April before the leaves appear. The fruits usually develop by late April, and the trees have leaves by the time the fruit fully matures (see Gentry 5163, Madden Lake).