Riparian rheophytic tree to 9 m, branching low down, bushy and straggly; bole to 10 cm diam. Bark grey. Leafy twigs c. 4–8 mm diam.; buds densely adpressed fawn-pubescent, with fist-shaped young leaves. Leaves 15–30 cm, paripinnate, 4-or 5(–7)-jugate, with terminal spike c. 2 mm long, or its scar, glabrous. Petiole c. 4.5 cm, terete to angled when dried. Leaflets 8.5–21 by 1.5–2.5 cm, opposite, very narrowly elliptic, glossy adaxially, bases cuneate, apices long acuminate, midrib sunken adaxially, prominent abaxially, costae c. 10 on each side, ascendant, not looped; petiolules 3–6 mm, swollen, drying blackish. Thyrses to 1 m, ± axillary, ± glabrous, sparsely branched, branches to 4 cm; bracteoles to 1 mm, triangular, tawny pubescent, persistent, apparently in opposite pairs. Flowers onion-scented. Calyx c. 2.5 mm diam., decurrent into pseudopedicel c. 3 mm long, articulated with pedicel, free part c. 1 mm deep, shallowly cupular, irregularly 4-lobed, shortly hairy without. Petals 4, 16–20 by 2.5–4 mm, linear-oblong, ± puberulous on both surfaces, white, valvate, weakly connate proximally, apices boat-shaped. Staminal tube glabrous, margin obscurely 8-lobed; anthers 8, c. 1 mm long, glabrous. Disk c. 4 mm long, cylindrical with fluted mouth, glabrous to sparsely pubescent on both surfaces. Ovary densely adpressed pubescent, 4-locular, each locule with 2 ovules; style 4-angled, puberulous; stylehead c. 1 mm diam., discoid, dimpled. Infructescence to 1 m long. Capsules ± aggregated in distal part of infructescence, c. 7 cm diam., depressed-obovoid, whitish becoming pale purplish pink, downward-pointing, 4 valved. Seeds (1) 2–6 (1 long or 2 short per locule), to 4 by 2 cm, plano-convex, exarillate, dangling from fruit on white strands 1–2 cm; sarcotesta bright orange-red.
UsesThe seeds have been used as fish bait though they are said to make the fish flesh unpalatable (Corner, l.c.). It is believed that the fish disperse the seeds, much as Gonystylus bancanus (Thymelaeaceae) is distributed by a small catfish in the peat-swamp forest of Sarawak, where the fish flesh also has a strange flavour after ingestion of the seeds [see Mabberley Tropical rain forest ecology 1983 105–106 ]. The related Guarea guidonia (L.) Sleumer of tropical America is thought to be fish-dispersed and possibly Aglaia yzermannii also. The latter grows with Dysoxylum angustifolium and greatly resembles it in general form (see Steenis, l.c.) but it differs most obviously in its lesser stature, smaller, imparipinnate leaves with fewer leaflets, tiny flowers and small indehiscent orange-pink fruits each with 2 seeds.
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