Large evergreen tree occasionally reaching a height of 50 m.; bole fluted or slightly buttressed at the base to a height of 2 m., tall and straight, sometimes 30 m. to first branch, slender, up to 2 m. in diam.; bark similar to that of Khaya nyasica but lacking its bitter taste. Leaves paripinnate, petiole and rhachis up to 30 cm. long, minutely puberulous; leaflets up to 10 × 3·5 cm., opposite or alternate, 3–5 (6)-jugate, up to 10 × 4 cm., more or less oblong-elliptic or lanceolate-elliptic, slightly falcate, apex shortly and bluntly acuminate, base markedly asymmetric, upper surface glossy, lateral nerves closely spaced in c. 16 pairs, lower surface glabrous except for a few hairs on nerves when young; petiolules 5–10 mm. long. Flowers white, in large axillary panicles; peduncles 6–9 cm. long; inflorescence-axes densely puberulous; bracts very small, less than 1 mm. long, puberulous; pedicels ± 1 mm. long. Calyx 1 mm. long, puberulous, especially on the margins. Petals 2·5–3·5 mm. long, elliptic, hooded, glabrous inside and outside. Staminal tube 1–1·5 mm. long, appendages 1–1·5 mm. long; anthers inserted between the appendages on short filaments, exserted. Ovary 1 mm. in diam., subglobose, minutely papillose; style 1 mm. long. Capsule up to 5·5 × 2 cm.; valves brownish-black outside with scattered white lenticels, separating first from the apex and remaining attached to the base for some time before falling. Seeds (including wing) up to 4·5 × 1 cm., falling from the columella without leaving conspicuous scars.
