Shrub or small tree, to 5 m tall; younger stems finely stellate-pubescent, glabrous and often reddish in age. Petioles 5-15 mm long; blades narrowly ovate to lanceolate-oblong, long-acuminate, rounded to slightly cordate at base, 6-12 (15) cm long, 2.5-4.5 cm wide, entire, sparsely stellate-pubescent becoming glabrate, drying dark; veins 3 (rarely 5). Panicles terminal and upper-axillary, to 10 cm long; flowers 5-parted; hypanthium 1-1.5 mm long, obscurely lobed, +/- glabrous, lacking exterior teeth.; petals white, recurved ca 2 mm long; stamens folded in bud, held erect and exceeding style at anthesis, the style then lengthening to equal height of anthers (held in close proximity); filaments flat, recurving over edge of flower and withdrawing anthers from vicinity of style; anthers white, the apical pore as wide as anther. Inflorescences purplish in fruit; berries blue-black, ca 3 mm diam; seeds numerous, minute, white, translucent. Foster 1345 Probably common on the island at one time, now rare, persisting only on the shore. The plant is abundant in the Canal Zone along Gaillard Highway between Gamboa and the Pacific coast. Flowers June to February, with the fruits maturing from August to May.