Small tree to 12 m, young parts with uniform scurfy tomentum. Large leaves forming terminal crowns; petiole up to 80 cm, stout (1-2 cm ø), broadly channelled above, with a sheathing base prolonged as a strong stipular ligule c. 9 cm long, and with moderately developed irregular (not fimbriate) crests encircling the lower part of the petiole; blade up to 85 cm ø, with 5-7 strong ribs radiating from the top of the petiole, deeply lobed almost to the base of these ribs, lobes in turn deeply lobed and incised, the median often digitately tripartite, apices long acuminate, margin irregularly and remotely serrate, subglabrous when mature or showing remnants of the tomentum. Inflorescence a terminal hemispherical compound umbel, c. 15 cm high by 30 cm wide; peduncle short, stout (1.5-2 cm ø), with lanceolate bracts 4-6 cm long below and among the numerous (15-20) primary rays; primary rays 6-10 cm long, c. 5-12 mm wide, rigid, bearing 2 lanceolate bracts (2-3 cm long) at the apex, each ray ending in three branches; central branch c. 1.5 cm long, bearing an umbel of c. 30 sterile bacciform flowers (c. 5-12 mm ø when dry), the pseudo-fruits and their pedicels +-rufous tomentose, pedicels 10-12 mm, and 6-celled, surrounded by an involucre of short ovate bracts (3-8 mm long); two lateral branches c. 6 cm at anthesis, rigid, slightly flattened, to 8 mm broad, bearing a pair of bracts (c. l.5 cm long) about the middle, terminating in a subglobose head 3.5-4 cm ø of c. 30-40 sessile flowers, and surrounded by an involucre of ovate bracts c. 10-14 mm long. Calyx rim fimbriate. Petals irregularly 4-5-lobed, 7-8 mm long, connate below to form a fleshy tube, pubescent on the outer surface. Stamens c. 15-26, filaments straplike, projecting beyond the corolla, anthers c. 4 mm long. Ovary shortly turbinate, 2-4 mm long, angled, furfuraceous, c. 13-25-celled; disk flat, with a central boss formed of the pustulate stigmas. Fruits in a compact spherical head, the individual drupes angled by mutual pressure, and bearing the persistent stigmas on the exposed face, c. 10-14 mm long, the numerous pyrenes compressed and flat; cartilaginous.
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