A several-stemmed shrub or small tree, 0.5-5(-9) m tall; branches terete, striate, pubescent to villous, rarely subglabrous. Leaves simply paripinnate, narrowly oblong-elliptical in outline, 10-50 cm long; stipules broadly ovate-cordate, 6-17 mm x 8-10 mm, acuminate, palmately veined, reflexed, tardily caducous; petiole terete, 1-8 cm long, rachis up to 40 cm long, both pubescent and eglandular; petiolules up to 3 mm long; leaflets in 8-18 pairs, chartaceous, elliptical-oblong, 2-6.5 cm x 0.5-2.5 cm, 2-3 times longer than wide, base oblique, apex rounded but mucronate, pubescent to glabrescent, marginal vein distinct. Inflorescence an erect, axillary, 20-30 flowered, spike-like raceme, 10-50 cm long; peduncle terete, 5-8 cm long, pubescent; bracts broadly ovate, 8-27 mm x 5-15 mm, black green, at first imbricate and enclosing the flower buds; bracteoles absent; pedicel slender, 3-10 mm long, densely pubescent; sepals 5, subequal, oblong-obovate, 9-14 mm long, puberulous, green; petals 5, slightly unequal, at first incurved, later on more spreading, ovate to obovate, 17-27 mm x 10-16 mm, with a slender, about 1 mm long claw, glabrous, bright yellow, delicately veined; stamens 10, filaments shorter than anthers, anthers of 2 lower stamens 9-11 mm long, 3 upper stamens staminodial, anthers of 5 median stamens about 5 mm long; ovary and stipe velvety pubescent; style slender, glabrous, recurved, about 1 cm long; stigma punctiform. Fruit a flat, 9-16 seeded pod, linear-oblong, 7-12 cm x 1.5-2.5 cm, glabrescent, short beaked, dehiscent or indehiscent when dry, depressed between the seeds, sutures raised, blackish-brown. Seed flattened, oblongoid, apiculate, 8-9 mm x 4-5 mm x 2.5 mm, smooth, pale brown; areole elliptical, 3-4 mm x 0.7-1.5 mm. |
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