Shrub or small tree 1-7 m. high, deciduous; bark grey-brown to dark dull brown or red; young branchlets glabrous becoming blackish. Leaves up to 53 cm. long (rhaehis + petiole), glabrous or nearly so; pinnae 3-41 pairs; leaflets 9-48 pairs, 3·5-22 x 0·7-8 mm., linear-oblong to narrowly oblong, glabrous; midrib starting in the distal corner of the leaflet-base, gradually becoming almost central in the leaflet; proximal side of the base rounded and almost auriculate; apex acute to rounded and mucronate and nearly symmetric; lateral nerves and veins not or scarcely visible. Racemes (5)8-20(23) cm. long (including the peduncle), glabrous; minute whitish mealy glands present round the pedicel-bases. Flowers variously described as yellow, or with brownish-violet petals and yellow stamens. Petals 2·5-3 mm. long. Pods (15)25-44 x 1·3-3 cm., linear, the seeds showing as bumps at intervals. Seeds 11-20 x 9-18 x 7-12 mm., ellipsoid to lenticular.