Tree 12–30 m. high; trunk usually straight and unbranched for several m. from the base, averaging 30 cm. in diameter at maturity, armed with woody spines; bark generally smooth, yellowish brown and aromatic; branchlets armed with small black conical prickles 1.5–3 mm. long and frequently upturned or upcurved.. Leaves 15–37 cm. long; rhachis unarmed, rusty puberulent; petiolule (0–)0.5–2 or rarely up to 13 mm. on the terminal leaflet; leaflets 5–11 pairs, subopposite towards the base, progressively more opposite above, oblong to oblong-elliptic, 3–10.5 cm. long, 1.5–3.5 cm. broad, caudate to acuminate at the apex, cuneate and somewhat oblique* at the base, obscurely crenate, subcoriaceous, glabrous except the usually sparsely puberulent nerves beneath, with distinct pellucid glands; lateral nerves 8–16 pairs.. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, corymbose-paniculate, 5–11 cm. long, sometimes aculeate, with subumbellate flowers, rusty puberulent; bracts ± 1 mm. long; pedicels 1.5–2 mm. long.. Sepals 4, 0.5–0.7 mm. long, glabrous.. Petals 4, oblong to elliptic-oblong, 1.6–2.2 mm. long, 1–1.4 mm. broad, obtuse, white, glabrous.. Male flowers: stamens 4, 2–3.2 mm. long; vestigial pistil ± 1 mm. long on a short gynophore ± 0.5 mm. long.. Female flowers not seen.. Fruit of paired rhomboid follicles 8–10 mm. long, 6–7 mm. in diameter, with a short beak, glandular-foveolate, each pair on a short common stipe but individually sessile, sometimes one of the pair rudimentary.. Seeds shiny black, 4–5 mm. in diameter.
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