Perennial, armed deciduous tree, older branches with axillary, straight, strong, sharp spines; petioles 2-4 cm long, broadly winged; leaves alternate, trifoliolate, leaflets about 6-8 cm long, ovate, sub-crenate, terminal one usually larger with longer petiolule, lateral leaflets subsessile; inflorescence axillary panicles; flowers 4-5-merous, whitish-green, disk inconspicuous; calyx small, 4-5 toothed, deciduous; petals 4-5, spreading, imbricate; stamens numerous, inserted round the inconspicuous disk, filaments short, subulate, sometimes fascicled; anthers oblong, erect; ovary 8-20 celled, glabrous, broadly ovoid; style short; stigma capitate; ovules numerous; fruits large, globose, berry 5-15 celled, rind yellowish green, woody; mucilaginous pulp sweet, yellow-orange in colour; seeds embedded in sweet aromatic pulp, numerous, white, oblong, flattened, woolly pubescent.