Dense bushy shrub or small tree to c. 7 m high; bark becoming rough. Shoots angular, lepidote when young. Lvs shortly petiolate. Lamina 5-11 × 0.8-2 cm (juvenile lvs smaller), lanceolate or narrow-elliptic, sparsely to densely lepidote beneath and appearing pale green or slightly silvery, dark green and lepidote or elepidote above; base attenuate; apex mucronate. Panicles axillary. Calyx 1-1.5 mm long; lobes broad-triangular, glabrous or somewhat lepidote. Corolla lobes 3-4 mm long, whitish, ± oblong, almost fleshy, patent at first, ultimately reflexed. Stamens slightly < corolla. Drupe 5-8 mm diam., globose to broad-ovoid, glossy, becoming red and ultimately black.