Pachycaul tree to 15 m, unbranched or very sparsely branched, occasionally with stiltroots or small buttresses; inner bark pinkish; wood fawn. Leaves to 150 cm long, imparipinnate to 14-jugate or pseudogemmulate, when pseudogemmula densely long pubescent; petiole 1–5 cm, terete, woody; rachis terete. Leaflets 11–43 by 5–13 cm, oblong-lanceolate, opposite or subalternate at base of rachis, where they are often very small and even irregularly lobed, shiny, bullate at altitude, glabrous or veins ± pubescent adaxially, appressed hirsute, particularly at altitude abaxially, base asymmetrical, cuneate to subcordate, apex somewhat acuminate, costae c. 15 on each side, often sunken adaxially; petiolules to 2 mm. Inflorescences borne in upper axils, up to 4 at a time, to 2 m long, unbranched or with a few squarrose branches to 13 cm long near tip, where flowers are condensed; axes ferruginous-pubescent when young. Calyx 5–8 mm long. 5–6 mm in diam., cupular to subcylindrical, densely ferruginous pubescent, green to deep red, margin truncate. Petals 5 or 6, 28–32 mm long, subspathulate, fleshy, creamy white with conspicuous pink or red tinge, densely pubescent without. Staminal tube cylindrical, white, subglabrous save conspicuous bands of hairs apically and basally within, margin with c. 12–14 linear lobes, c. 3 mm long; anthers 12–14, c. 4 mm long, locellate, connective scattered ferruginous-pubescent. Disk c. 1 mm tall, thick, glabrous, margin truncate. Ovary ?3–5-celled; style cylindrical glabrous; stylehead subcapitate, c. 1 mm diam. Infructescence to 2 m long, pendent, with fruit aggregated at tip. Fruit spherical, covered with reddish irritant hairs, splitting into 3 or 4 valves. Seeds 3; testa black, covered on inner surface by orange-red aril.
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