Large tree with trunk slightly bottle shaped, green, young branches covered with conical prickles; leaves digitate, 5-7 foliolate, leaflets lanceolate, dentate, acuminate; flowers numerous, usually on leafless branches; calyx 5-lobed, slightly irregular, shining outside, silky inside; petals 5, obtuse, pink with light yellow centre and brown stripes at the base, pubescent on the back; staminal tube thrice as the length of petals, outer stamens short with sterile anthers; ovary 5-celled, many ovuled, style long, stout, stigma peltate, obsurely 5-lobed; seeds many, embedded in silky floss.