Tree to 30 m tall in the wild, the new growth rusty-haired. Leaves oblong or elliptic to obovate, 5-10 cm long, 2-5 cm wide, long-pointed, tapered at the base, margins entire although often lobed on young plants, lower surface with yellow glands, hairless except for hairy domatia, stalk more or less articulate with the leaf. Flowers with corolla over 1 cm long, purplish or pinkish mauve, with curved tube to about 1 cm long; mostly late summer to autumn. Fruit a pink to pinkish purple drupe,1-1.5 cm wide.

Qld, NSW

Grown in warmer districts.

Leaves blacken on drying; berries large.

NSW: Redfern (Redfern Park).

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Verbenaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press. (as Premna lignum-vitae)