Large, deciduous tree, up to 20 m tall, bark light grey, wood dark purple with black streaks, branches glabrous; leaves odd-pinnate, rachis straight; petiolules unusually long; leaflets 5-7, large, alternate, obovate-orbicular, coriaceous, glabrous above, glaucous below, base cuneate, apex emarginated or retuse, margins entire; inflorescence axillary, much branched, lax panicles up to 10 cm long shorter than leaves; pedicels as long as calyx; sepals subequal, teeth obtuse, shorter than calyx tube; corolla white, twice the length of calyx, standard broad obovate, keel obtuse with its petals jointed at the tip; stamens 9-10, monadelphous or the sheath slit down the keel; anthers minute, basifixed; ovary stalked, few ovuled, style short, incurved, glabrous; stigma capitate; pods indehiscent, strap-shaped, rather shining, brown, abruptly narrowed; seeds 1-3, distinctly marked, flat, glabrous.