Untidy tree to 20(–30) m. tall with pale grey bark, sometimes slightly buttressed; young twigs, petioles, rhachides and petiolules tawny-pubescent and sometimes with sessile glands. Leaves often pink when very young; petiole 1–6 cm. long, rhachis 2–15 cm. long; petiolules 0–3(–5) mm. long; leaflets in 2–6 pairs, opposite or alternate, very varied in shape (see subspecies below), lanceolate, elliptic, ovate or obovate, the uppermost pair the largest, 4–12 cm. long, 2–3.5 cm. wide, variously long tapering to rounded at the apex, often slightly asymmetric at the base, undulate in dried specimens, glabrescent or sparsely pilose, with or without sessile glands; lateral nerves in 5–16 pairs, prominent beneath. Inflorescences axillary on the main stems and in the axils of immature leaves on short shoots; axes (1–)4–12 cm. long, with or without lateral branches; pedicels 1–3(–5) mm. long, densely pubescent. Sepals 4, 2.5–3 mm. long, pubescent outside; disk ciliate. Stamens 8–11, exserted; staminodes with shorter filaments. Ovary flask-shaped, 2–3 mm. long, densely tomentose; style truncate, persisting on the fruit. Fruit pink when fresh, greyish tomentose when dry, 1–1.5 cm. long, said to be blue internally. Seed ellipsoid, 1–1.2 cm. long, 8 mm. wide.