Shrub, 1-4 m high.  Leaves 15cm x 10cm, spiraling around the stem,ovate, acute to acuminate at the tip, marginsserrate; flowers solitary, born on long stalks, in the axils of the upper leaves, epicalyx of 5-7 bractioles about 1 cm long, calyx cup-shaped 2.5cm long, corolla short-lived, showy, mainly red, but other varieties range frompurplish-red, yellow or orangeto white,variable in size,from 6-10cm,staminal tube longer than petals; capsules, rarely produced are oblong ca. 3 cm long, seeds globose ca.3 mm in diameter.

Shrub or tree 1- 6 m tall.  Leaves in whorls of three, pubescent, obovate to lanceolate, acuminate, 5-15 cm x 2.5-6.5 cm; inflorescence 3-15 cm long; corolla, tubular, 1.5 to 2 cm long, orange or reddish, puberulous.  Fruit subglobose or ellipsoid, 6-10 mm in diameter, red when unripe, and black when ripe.

Tree deciduous up to 16 m tall with spreading branches. Leaves alternate 20 cm x 7 cm, lanceolate to ovate, unequal at the base, margins crenate-dentate, hairy from sub-glabrous to tomentose; inflorescence axillary in panicles, flowers 3 mm with five yellow-green petals, fragrant; fruit black, woody, warty, sub-globose 1-2 cm in diameter with the faint smell of molasses, seeds numerous.