Small evergreen tree to 15 m tall. Leaves 5-23 cm long, elliptic to obovate. Flowers unisexual, male and female on separate trees. Male flowers red to maroon to yellow, in spikes clustered at the base of the trunk; female flowers bright red, in spikes, also clustered at the base of the trunk. Fruits 1.6-3.2 cm long, fusiform, dull red to maroon turning purple to black when ripe.