Tree up to 30 m high, with ± rounded crown; bark rough, dark brown or greyish; branchlets straw-coloured or whitish. Stipular spines up to c. 2 cm long, straight. Leaves with pinnae 3–10 pairs; rhachis with a conspicuous gland at the junction of each pinna pair, but petiole eglandular; leaflets 6–23 pairs, 3.5–6(–12) x 0.7–2.25(–4) mm. Flowers yellowish-white, sessile or shortly pedicellate, in spikes 3.5–14 cm long. Calyx up to 2 mm long. Corolla up to 3.5 mm long. Filaments basally connate; anthers eglandular even in bud. Pods falcate or coiled, indehiscent, 6–25 x 2–3.5 cm, bright orange or purplish-brown. Seeds elliptic-lenticular, 9–11 x 6–8 mm; areole 7–9 x 4–6 mm.