Deciduous tree up to 7.5–18 m. tall, generally with a straight trunk and spreading crown; bark usually rough, grey-brown; slash yellowish, exuding red gum. Branchlets appressed pubescent, soon glabrescent. Leaves (6.5–)10–28 cm. long, compound or rarely (and not in East Africa) some or all 1-foliolate; stipules linear, 2–3 mm. long, early caducous; lateral leaflets (0–)1–5 on either side, mostly subopposite, broadly lanceolate to ovate or elliptic, up to 4–10 cm. long, 2.4–4.8 cm. wide, narrowed or acuminate to the bluntly pointed or emarginate tip, broadly cuneate or rounded at base, bright green above, chartaceous, glabrous or rapidly glabrescent above, appressed puberulous beneath; primary lateral nerves curved-ascending, ± 12–18 on either side, looped near margin; venation laxly reticulate, prominent on both surfaces. Racemes in axils of current and fallen leaves, 6–20(–30) cm. long, rather few- to many-flowered; bracts small, fugaceous; bracteoles at top of the slender 10–18 mm. long pedicel, very small, fugaceous. Calyx shortly lobed, 4–6 mm. long, with hairs at mouth of the tube inside, otherwise glabrous, often coloured with reddish gum-exudate. Corolla 10–14 mm. long, yellow, fragrant; standard broadly obovate; wings broadly expanded, enveloping keel and nearly as long as the standard. Fruit ± semi-orbicular, with a relatively narrow coriaceous wing produced slightly to the subterminal style-base and partially decurrent on to the (0.5–)1–2 cm. long stipe, 4.5–6.5 cm. long, 2–3 cm. wide, glabrous, laxly venose. Fig. 16/1, 2, p. 83.
