Tree 1–15 m. Twigs densely covered with large shiny reddish-brown peltate scales which are entire or have a short fimbriate margin and often have a dark centre and a dark ring near the margin, usually 0.3–0.6 mm in diam., sometimes smaller. Leaves 18–50 cm long, 14–34 cm wide, petiole 2.5–12 cm, petiole, rachis and petiolules densely covered with scales like those on the twigs. Leaflets (7–)9–13(–17), 5–18 by 1.5–5.5 cm, pale yellowish-brown and usually with the margin recurved or undulate when dry, apex acuminate, cuneate or rounded at the asymmetrical base; with scales like those on the twigs thickly covering the midrib on the lower surface, sometimes with a few paler and more fimbriate scales interspersed, occasional on the rest of that surface, the lower surface with numerous pits, veins 6–17 on each side; petiolules 5–15(–20) mm on lateral leaflets, up to 20 mm on the terminal leaflet. Inflorescence up to 28 cm long and 23 cm wide; peduncle 5–15 mm, peduncle, rachis, branches, pedicels and calyx dense-ly covered with scales like those on the twigs or with scales which have a longer fimbri-ate margin or are stellate. Flowers 1.5–3 mm long, 1.5–3.5 mm wide, pedicel 0.5–2 mm. Petals 5. Staminal tube up to c. 1 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, shallowly cup-shaped, thickened below and between the anthers, the aperture 0.6–1.3 mm across and with the margin shallowly lobed; anthers 5, 0.4–0.5 mm long and 0.4–0.5 mm wide, dark blackish-brown when dry with a pale yellow margin, inserted inside the margin of the tube and protruding. Stigma 0.2–0.3 mm long and 0.3–0.4 mm wide, ovoid, truncate at the apex. Infructescence up to 19 cm long and 5.5 cm wide, peduncle 2.5 cm; the peduncle, rachis and branches densely covered with scales like those on the twigs. Fruits 2.2–3 cm long and 2.2–3 cm wide, subglobose, brown or yellow when ripe; the pericarp thin and brittle when dry, densely covered with scales like those on the twigs on the outside; locules 2 (or 3), each containing one seed. Seed covered with a white aril.
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