Tree, to 20 m tall, to 30 cm dbh; young branchlets and petioles densely rufous-tomentulose. Petioles stout, very short; stipules subulate, paired, velutinous, 5-9 mm long, subpersistent; blades oblong to oblong-elliptic, short-acuminate, rounded at base, 7-15 cm long, 2.5-6.5 cm wide, glabrous to sparsely pubescent above, velutinous below especially on veins, the trichomes denser on veins, with a few round glands near base below. Inflorescences narrow terminal panicles 10-20 cm long, densely pubescent except on petals and inner, flower parts; branches with rounded or oval, gland-tipped bracts, the glands sessile or short-stipitate; pedicels 1-2 mm long; calyx lobes 5, oval, rounded at apex, often tinged with purple; petals 5, oval, ca 4 mm long, white to reddish, spreading at anthesis; stamens 3, ca 1 cm long, mounted on a whitish disk (2 aborted stamens sometimes visible as subulate trichomes); filaments white, straight and divergent at anthesis; style erect, +/- equaling ovary, violet-purple near apex, villous near base. Drupes ellipsoid, 1.5-2 cm long, sparsely pubescent to glabrous, black, shiny; pericarp thin, fleshy. Croat 4866, 7751. Occasional, in the forest, especially the younger forest. Flowers from February to May. The fruits probably mature in the early to middle rainy season.

Tree or shrub, to 20 m; trunk to 23 cm dbh; outer bark thin, fissured, weakly flaky; inner bark reddish-brown, granular; wood light brown, hard, heavy; youngest stems pubescent; sap inconspicuous. Petioles to 5 mm long, moderately pubescent; stipules paired, subulate, to 5 mm long, subpersistent; blades elliptic-oblong, acuminate at apex, acute to rounded or subcordate at base, 4-12 (14.5) cm long, 1.5-5 cm wide, glabrous above except on midrib, sparsely pubescent below, the trichomes denser on veins. Flowers in terminal racemose panicles to 8 cm long; rachis, branches, and pedicels tomentulose; pedicels slender, 2-3 mm long (appearing longer since flowers are often solitary at apices of branches); bracts and bracteoles narrowly lanceolate, 1-3.5 mm long, pubescent, lacking glands; calyx lobes 5, ovate, 3-4 mm long, rounded at apex, reflexed at anthesis, puberulent on both sides; petals 5, broadly elliptic, ca 5 mm long, rounded at both ends, white; stamens 3, long-exserted, arising from side of flower; filaments purplish above, l-2 cm long, fused into a low ring arising from rim of hypanthium (remnants of a 4th and a 5th stamen persisting as sharp lobes on this ring); style +/- equaling stamens and opposite them at anthesis, pilose and white below middle, purple above; ovary pilose-tomentose; stigma small, capitate. Drupes ovoid-oblong to rounded, ca 2.3 cm long, densely short-pubescent; exocarp thin, brownish-purple; mesocarp fleshy, sweet, tasty; seed +/- ovate, ca 1.7 cm long, with irregular longitudinal grooves, abruptly narrowed at base. Croat 7171, 10969. Common in the forest, mostly in the old forest. Flowers sporadically throughout the year, principally from November to May. Individuals flower more than once a year, possibly as many as three times. The fruits mature throughout the year; white-faced monkeys eat the fruits in June and July (Oppenheimer, 1968). Unusual growths were found on Croat 6010, which consisted of long-stipitate, obovate, greenish-white, fruitlike structures covered with short erect trichomes. The structures were regularly disposed on the stems and were at first believed to be fruits. Dr. Ghillean Prance (New York Botanical Garden), who made sections of the structures, has confirmed that they are not fruits. They are possibly due to gall insects.