A small, sparsely branched tree, 6 m high. Large leaves forming terminal crowns; petiole 50 cm by 8 mm, flattened above, with a sheathing base prolonged as a strong stipular ligule 3 cm long with branched fibrous setae on the outer surface, and with several crests bearing similar setae on the lower part of the petiole; blade 50 cm ø, base emarginate, deeply 9-lobed, lobes narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, narrowed towards the sinuses, apex broadly cuneate, margin minutely and remotely serrate, sinuses broadly rounded. Inflorescence a terminal compound subspherical umbel c. 20 cm ø; peduncle short, stout (15 mm wide) with large setose bracts (c. 4 cm long) below and among the primary rays; primary rays c. 15, c. 6 cm long, 5 mm broad, with a pair of large setose bracts (22 by 10 mm) at the apex, each ending in three branches; central branch c. 6 by 2 mm, terminating in an involucre of setose ovate bracts (c. 4 mm long) and an umbel of c. 20-30 sterile bacciform flowers (c. 3 mm ø when dry, 2-3-celled, on pedicels 6-10 mm long) interspersed with bracts covered with crisp reddish-brown setulae; the two lateral branches c. 2 cm long, with opposite setulose bracts (c. 1 cm long) below the middle, terminating in a spherical head of c. 30-40 sessile flowers each subtended by a reddish brown setulose cymbiform bract. Calyx rim obsolete. Corolla c. 2.5 mm long in bud (not seen in open condition). Stamens 5. Ovary subcylindric, c. 1 mm long in bud, 5-celled; disk with a central stigmatic boss. Fruit unknown.
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