Tree, up to 10 m tall or more, with a thick trunk; bark peeling in papery flakes; branchlets puberulous to tomentose. Leaves crowded at ends of branches, ± densely pubescent; petiole up to 10 cm long; blade 5–15 x 4–13 cm, broadly ovate-cordate, deeply 3–5(–7)-lobed with ± acuminate lobes or rarely entire. Flowers in narrow 3–12 cm long pubescent panicles. Calyx up to 12 mm long, reddish with yellowish-green lobes, pubescent outside. Male flowers with androphore up to 10 mm long. Female flowers with gynophore up to 7 mm long. Follicles 4–10 cm long, oblong-ovoid, thick-walled, longitudinally ribbed, tomentose with short yellowish hairs, with a horn-like beak up to 1 cm long at the apex, opening up partly only. Seeds 9–11 x 5–6 mm, dull black.
Range
N1 from S Tanzania southwards to Namibia and Botswana.
