A large tree up to 30 m high with buttresses at the base. The buttresses are branched. The bark is smooth grey and peels off in thin flakes. The small branches are round in cross section and less than 1 cm across. The wood and bark have a mild pineapple-like smell. The leaves can be 18 to 30 cm long made up of several leaflets but often without a leaflet at the end. The leaf like part (stipule) near the base of the leaf is about 1 cm from where the leaf stalk joins. It is small, ear-shaped and without the toothed edge like in Canarium indicum. The flowers occur on the ends of branches. The male flower clusters have more branches, more flowers and are larger (20-30 cm long) while the female flower clusters are slender, with fewer flowers and are smaller (8-20 cm long). The flowers have short soft hairs but become hairless at maturity. The male flowers are smaller (0.4-0.5 cm long) than the female (0.9-1 cm long). The flowers are pale yellow or light green. The fruit is 3-4 cm long and 1-2 cm across, slightly flattened and purplish black. Normally only one cell of the seed is developed. There are a range of varieties which differ in size, flavour and ease of opening.