Shrub or small to medium-sized tree up to 15 m. tall, usually deciduous; bole up to 0·3 m. in diam. at breast height, rarely more; bark whitish-grey and smooth at first, later darker with longitudinal fissures. Leaves densely puberulous when young, the hairs sometimes persisting on the petiole and rhachis and less densely so on the lamina; rhachis (+ petiole) up to 12 cm. long, flattened and slightly winged, usually ending in a short appendage; leaflets 3–7-jugate, subsessile, opposite, rarely subopposite, exceptionally alternate, leaflet-lamina up to 5 × 2·4 cm., usually much smaller, very asymmetric, apex obtuse, rounded or emarginate, rarely mucronate, base cuneate, secondary nerves rather close together, prominent on both surfaces. Inflorescence up to 5 cm. long, axillary or in the axils of fallen leaves. Flowers pale yellow, usually appearing before or with the new leaves. Calyx c. 1 mm. long, sparsely puberulous; lobes acute. Petals c. 5 × 1·5 mm., glabrous except for the ciliolate margin. Stamens c. 3·5 mm. long; staminodes c. 2 mm.; antherodes minute. Ovary c. 1·75 mm. long, style about 1·25 mm. long; pistillode minute, embedded in the disk, sometimes with two vestigial styles and loculi. Capsule chestnut-brown with conspicuous veins, c. 18 × 12 mm. Seed c. 16 × 6 mm.