Evergreen shrub or small to medium-sized tree up to 15(–30) m tall, with straight, slightly grooved bole up to 1 m in diameter and open crown with gracefully drooping, pubescent branches; bark grey to mottled pale and dark brown, scaly, flaking off in rectangular patches, fibrous, exuding a dark gum. Leaves alternate to nearly opposite, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole 1–6 mm long; blade ovate to elliptical or ovate-lanceolate, 2–10 cm × 1–4 cm, base cuneate or obtuse, apex obtuse or acute, densely silky hairy when young, lateral veins in 4–8 pairs, prominent beneath. Inflorescence an axillary or terminal, usually solitary globose head 0.5–2 cm in diameter; peduncle up to 2.5 cm long, bearing 2 pairs of deciduous bracts. Flowers bisexual, regular, 5-merous, pale yellow, fragrant; receptacle stalk-like, 3–4 mm long; sepals connate into a lobed campanulate cup c. 1 mm high; petals absent; stamens 10, filaments filiform, c. 3 mm long, anthers cordate; ovary inferior, 1-celled, rusty hairy above the middle, style simple, filiform. Fruit a rounded samara 4–10 mm × 6–11 mm × 2–2.5 mm, with 2 wings, yellowish to reddish brown, shortly beaked, 1-seeded, packed horizontally into dense cone-like infructescences 1–2 cm in diameter. Seed ovoid-fusiform, c. 3 mm × 2 mm.

Antimicrobial and anthelmintic (bark, leaves and roots); bactericidal and fungicidal (seeds)

PROTAbase: Anogeissus leiocarpa

A decoction of the leaves or leafy twigs is used against yellow fever, jaundice, different kinds of hepatitis, common cold and headache. Powdered bark and a bark decoction are used to treat wounds, eczema, psoriasis, anthrax, carbuncles, boils and several kinds of ulcers. The bark decoction is also known as a muscular tonic. The leaf decoction is applied against haemorrhoids and skin diseases. The bark and the exuding gum prevent and cure dental caries and toothache. The fleshy roots are used against labour pains and to accelerate wound healing.