A shrub or small tree, usually reaching a height of 2 m but capable of reaching 4 m in a forest. It is multistemmed, the stems with smooth, pale grey bark, the branchlets with long white hairs at first, but eventually becoming hairless and grey in colour. Leaves simple, alternate, oblong to elliptic, 20-60 mm long and 13-25 mm wide, glossy green on the upper surface and pale on the lower surface, apex rounded to widely tapered, the upper and lower surfaces are glabrous, and the leaves are borne on stalks which are tomentose. Flower buds are covered with velvety grey to brown hairs, opening into cream to pale yellow flowers, 12 mm long, in small terminal clusters, in early to mid summer (from October to January). Ovary generally, 3-locular, loculi 3–4 ovulate, smooth, not lobed. Style smooth and 5 mm long. Fruit oval, 7 x 13 mm, never lobed, reddish-brown when ripe, pendulous, smooth, available in late summer to autumn (from February to May).