[2][3] The outer bark is pale-tan to greyish, greenish-yellow and reddish in colour, and from smooth to possessing fine vertical fissures to scaly.

Leaves are alternate, though subopposite at the end of branches, smooth to slightly to completely covered in hairs, with an elliptic (sometimes more or less obovate) blade some (4-)5.5–35.5 x (1.1–)1.9–13.5(–15.9) cm in size; an acute to obtuse base, flat margin, cuspidate apex (sometimes to acuminate or even rarely acute); light to dark-green glossy upper, paler-green lower which is sometimes hairy on midrib and veins.

Distinguishing features of this species of Actephila include 5-95mm long petioles; elliptic (to more or less obovate) leaf blades; dimensions of leaf blades (see above); white to greenish pistillate flowers; knobbly-surfaced fruit-wall with venation not raised; 5-8mm long columella which are somewhat thickened basally but do not completely cover disc and base of sepals.

[1] Countries and regions in which it occurs are: Indonesia (Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Jawa, Sumatera); Philippines; Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia); Thailand; Vietnam; Zhōngguó/China (Yunnan, Guangxi); Myanmar; India (including Nicobar Islands, Andaman Islands, Assam; Bangladesh; East Himalaya; Sri Lanka.

The shrub/tree grows in a range of habitats from primary mixed lowland dipterocarp rainforest to evergreen-, deciduous-, secondary-, hill-, kerangas-forests, as well as in gallery situations such as along rocky seashores, rivers and roads.

[8] The Shompen people of Great Nicobar Island, use the stems and branches in house construction, specifically as posts, roof beams, thatching rods and as wall-sticks.