A treelet that grows up to 2—4 m tall, stem up to 20 cm in diameter, branching profusely. Leaves are spiral, exstipulate, and compound with 5–31 pairs of folioles which are asymmetrical, serrate, and measure 2.4cm × 1cm – 3.1cm × 1cm – 5cm × 1.7cm – 4cm × 1.7cm. Folioles show numerous cell oils and nine pairs of secondary nerves. Rachis is 29cm long. Internodes are 1.5cm long. Flowers are very small and arranged in 15cm-long panicles. Fruits are 5mm in diameter on 7mm-long pedicels.

Bitter, tonic, astringent and emmenagogue (plant)

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Used as a remedy for stomach troubles, to invigorate, to promote menses and digestion, and to treat paralysis (whole plant); used as a drink to promote sweating (decoction of the roots); to heal sores and as a poultice for ulceration of the nose, or sometimes for yaws (roots); used to kill vermin, to mitigate headaches, to treat paralysis and to invigorate after the exhaustion of childbirth (leaves); to reduce fever and to expel worms from the intestines (juice of leaves); for bowel complaints such as colic, dyspepsia and stomach-ache (decoction of the roots, flowers or leaves).

Christophe Wiart. Medicinal Plants of Asia and the Pacific, P:218-219, CRC Press, June 2006.