Slender shrub or small tree up to 5 m, becoming glabrous except for slight pubescence on the inflorescence. Leaves clustered near the ends of the branches; petioles to 25 cm, c. 3 mm wide, clasping base prolonged as a broad stipular ligule c. 1 cm long, and with 2-3 entire, or obscurely fimbriate, often recurved crests surrounding the base of the petiole; blade 3-or occasionally 5-lobed (leaves below the inflorescence sometimes simple), to 30 by 28 cm, base broadly cuneate, rounded or truncate (emarginate in 5-lobed leaves), lobes about 1/2-1/3 of the blade, narrowly or broadly oblong, often slightly narrowed below and sharply acuminate to caudate, margin serrate. Inflorescence a terminal compound spherical umbel, 7-15 cm ø, either rather compact or branches lax; peduncle 2-3 cm with broad ovate bracts; primary rays 8-20 or more, slightly pubescent, 1.5-4 cm long, subtended by ovate bracts 5-10 mm long, opposite ovate bracts at the apex, 1-3 mm long; central branch 1.5-6 mm long, pubescent, bearing an umbel (1-1.5 cm ø) of sterile bacciform flowers up to 5 mm ø, 1-4-celled, pedicels 2-6 mm long, subtended by ovate bracts 1-3 mm long; lateral branches 1½-3 cm with opposite small bracts about the middle, bearing a terminal head, c. 1 cm ø of c. 8-20 flowers, surrounded by an involucre of small rounded pubescent bracts, pedicels c. 1 mm or less (up to 3 mm in fruit). Calyx rim obsolete. Corolla 4-5-lobed above, tubular below, 2-3 mm long. Stamens 4-5, exserted. Ovary subcylindric, 4-5-celled. Fruit a spherical drupe (when dry 4-5-ribbed, 7 by 5 mm).
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