Small tree or shrub 1.2–12 m. tall, with simple trunk; bark brownish grey. Leaves with petiole 5–20 cm. long and rhachis 15–40 cm. long, both mottled brown or green and straw-coloured towards the base when dry, adpressed-pubescent when young; petiolules 3–10 mm. long, at first pubescent; leaflets in (3–)5–7 pairs, subopposite or alternate, oblanceolate to oblong-elliptic, 4–27(–30) cm. long, 1.9–10.2(–16) cm. wide, acuminate (with actual tip rounded) or broadly rounded to truncate at the apex, cuneate to rounded at the base and often asymmetric, glabrous; lateral nerves in 8–13 pairs, prominent and often drying yellowish beneath; venation prominently raised-reticulate. Inflorescences 9–30(–60) cm. long, with spreading or ascending main branches up to 35 cm. long, ± glabrous or ferruginous (in life and dry) pubescent, sometimes only at the nodes; flowers in dense clusters on very short side branchlets, pedicels said to be ‘brown at base but white above joint’ 0–3 mm. long, lengthening to 5 mm. in fruit. Sepals drying cream or brown, 4.5 mm. long, 2.8 mm. wide, the outer strongly overlapping the inner, petaloid, glabrous to densely dark ferruginous-pubescent outside, but always ciliate; petals white or cream, sometimes tinged pink, obovate, 4–5 mm. long, 2.5 mm. wide, shaggy ciliate below, scale 3 mm. long. Stamens 14–18, with filaments white hairy. Fruit ± globose, 1.2–1.5 cm. long, 1.2–1.8 cm. wide, usually only one mericarp developing, the two aborted ones persistent at the base, glabrous. Seed 1 cm. long.
