Tree 15-37.5(-54) m high and 18-79(-95) cm in diam.; butresses very short. Stipules lanceolate, c. 8 mm long, densely hirsute outside, glabrous inside, caducous. Leaves (3-)5-or 6-(or 7-)jugate; petiole 2-3(-5) cm and rachis 5-16(-22.5) cm long, both tawny woolly or densely tomentose when young and later thinner. Leaflets coriaceous, ovate-elliptic or elliptic, sometimes ovate or broadly ovate, 3-9(-14.5)by 1.5-4.5(-7.5) cm; apex shortly or normally acuminate, sometimes acute; base rotund or obtuse, usually symmetric; upper surface glossy and glabrous, rarely sparsely hairy near the midrib, lower surface usually densely tawny hirsute sometimes slightly glabrescent; petiolules very short, up to c. 3 mm, rather sturdy, hirsute sometimes glabrescent. Inflorescences paniculate, up to 11(-20) cm long, lateral branches up to c. 3 cm long, compactly flowered, both rachis and branches densely brown hirsute; bracts lanceolate, c. 3 by 1.5 mm, densely appressed hirsute outside; bracteoles resembling bracts but about half the length; pedicels very short, densely hirsute. Calyx lobes oblong-lanceolate, 11-13 mm long, unarmed, densely hirsute often on both surfaces. Petal narrowly lanceolate, 10-12 mm long, densely woolly outside, glabrous inside. Stamens: united basal parts of filaments very short; free filaments and staminodes up to c. 1.5 cm, hirsute towards the lower 1/2-1/3; perfect anthers 2 (biggest), 3.5-4 mm, the others (much) smaller. Ovary sessile, rhomboid, c. 3 by 2.5 mm, woolly; style up to c. 1.5 cm, glabrous; stigma capitate. Pods elliptic-ovate or broadly ovate, slightly irregular in shape, 6 — 11.7( — 15) by 5-6.5(-8) cm, with a rather short beak, thinly hirsute, bearing rather small, scattered, moderately developed sharp spines (c. 4 mm long), with fine warts among them, 1-4-seeded. Seeds irregularly ovoid, 1.6-2.2 cm both long and wide, flattened, smooth, purple-black, almost glossy, on top of an aril longer than wide (c. 2.6 cm wide).