Shrub or small to medium tree c. 3-6 m. high, sometimes many-stemmed; young branchlets tomentose, soon glabrescent. Stipules not spinescent, 5-7 x 4-6 mm., broadly and obliquely ovate. Prickles scattered along the internodes, ± hooked or deflexed, up to c. 5 mm. long. Leaves: rhachis 4-19 cm. long, prickly or unarmed; petiole with a prominent gland 1-2·5 mm. long on the upper side near the base; rhachis glandular below the top 1-2 pairs of pinnae; pinnae 4-9 pairs; leaflets 4-15 pairs, (5)7-18 x 3-9 mm., obliquely oblong-elliptic or -lanceolate (or the terminal ones obovate), ± densely pubescent especially beneath when young, ± glabrescent at maturity; lateral nerves and usually venation also clearly visible beneath. Flowers sessile, in spikes 4-5 (? more) cm. long on peduncles 0·5-1·3 cm. long; axis tomentose. Calyx 3·5 mm. long, tomentose. Corolla 4-4·5 mm. long, with 5 lobes 1-1·25 mm. long which are tomentose outside. Stamen-filaments 5-6 mm. long, irregularly connate towards the base; anthers 0·2 mm. across, with a caducous gland. Ovary tomentose, on an almost equally long stipe. Pods dehiscent, 7-14 x 1·8-2·4 cm., with dense often ± matted long brownish tomentum outside, linear-oblong, straight, obtuse rarely subacute at the apex. Seeds subcircular, 6-10 mm. in diam.; central areole small, 1·5-3 x 2·5 mm.
