Tree to 35 m tall. Leaves alternate, primary rachis including petiole to 35 cm long; petiole with a single round or elliptical, or bilobed, or double gland, halfway between base and 1st pair of pinnae; rachis bearing dense rusty pubescence. Pinnae (8-) 11-19 pairs, opposite or lower ones subopposite. Leaflets 27-38 pairs, oblong, (3.5-)6.5-9 by (1.5—)2.5 —3 mm, margins not contiguous, with sparse, short, stiff, white hairs on margin and upper surface; apex rounded and sometimes minutely mucronulate, base usually weakly auriculate on proximal side, main vein central, straight or slightly curved towards distal margin at apex, when dry depressed on upper surface and prominent below and margins recurved. Peduncles 2-4 per compound inflorescence reaching maturity, alternate, 5-22(-40) cm long. Capitula 4.7-6 cm long, biglobose at anthesis with basal staminodial fringe, 3.6-5.1 cm in diameter and apical part 3.1-4.3 cm in diameter. Flowers bisexual. Calyx 9-9.5 mm long, including pseudopedicel of 2 mm, and the largest lobes c. 1.5 mm long; corolla to 11.5 mm long, the lobes c. 6.5 mm long, bearing tiny hairs on outer surface at apex; filaments to 13.5 mm, the staminal tube 5-7 mm long; anthers 1.3 mm long; ovary 1.5-2 mm long. Pods usually one per receptacle, strap-shaped, 28-38 cm (incl. a stipe of c. 5-13 cm) by 4-5 cm, the valves bearing red-brown velutinous pubescence, especially along the sutures when immature, glabrescent. Seeds to 18 per pod, elliptical or round in oudine, 17-21 by 11.5-14 by 5 mm; testa black around outer edge and paler brown with black radiating streaks within the pleurogram, hard.
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