Vigorous, often ± scrambling, dense shrub; stems to c. 20 m long, covered in peltate or stellate scales. Young shoots, petioles and lf midrib beneath with brown scales; older branches often spiny. Petiole 5-13 mm long. Lamina 4.5-9 × 1.5-4 cm, elliptic, soon becoming glabrous above, with silvery scales beneath, usually dotted with brown scales, sometimes densely covered in brown scales; margins undulate to almost flat; base rounded; apex obtuse, acute or shortly acuminate. Fascicles few-flowered; fls fragrant, ± pendulous. Pedicels 3-7 mm long, densely covered in brown scales. Calyx 10-13 mm long, abruptly constricted above ovary, covered with mostly silvery and few brown scales outside; lobes 2-4 mm long, triangular, acutely ribbed at base in bud. Stamens inserted at apex of tube; filaments very short, hidden behind anthers. Style slightly > calyx tube. Fr. 1.5-1.8 × 0.8-1 cm, oblong, pale reddish orange, with silver and brown scales. Seed 8-ribbed.