An almost evergreen tree with erect stem, bark greyish with patches; young shoots with brown hairs. Leaves alternate, rachis 10-20 cm long with a large black gland near the base and another gland between the uppermost pair, and a tiny one below the last 1-2 pairs of leaflets. Pinnae 3-8 pairs, subsessile, 4.5-9.0 cm long, each with 8-20 pairs of leaflets, 1.7-2.5 cm long, c. 5-10 mm broad, oblique, leaflets oblong, usually obtuse or acute, pubescent or nearly glabrous above, hairy below. Inflorescence covered with brownish pubescence, peduncled heads solitary or in panicles; peduncle 7-12 mm long. Flowers sessile, pale yellow, fragrant, bracteate, bract c. 2-3 mm long, ovate, acute, hairy. Calyx c. 1-2 mm long, densely pubescent, teeth subobsolete. Corolla up to 8 mm long, covered with grey hairs outside, lobes 2-3 mm long, lanceolate, acute. Stamens c. 20, 1.5 cm long, staminal tube c. 2-3 mm long. Style filiform, as long as the filaments, green, stigma acute. Pod 10-30 cm long, c. 1.7-3.5 cm broad, reddish brown, thin, shining, hairy when young, shortly stalked. Seeds 8-12.

Fl Per. April-June

Type: Ceylon, Koenig, Herb. Linn. 1228/18 (LINN).

Distribution: W. Pakistan (Murree, Kashmir); India (Uttar Pradesh, Central Province, Orissa, Bengal, Assam, Bombay, Mysore, Madras) ; Ceylon, Sikkim, Burma.

Yields a fairly durable timber, which is used in some parts of India for oil mills, wheels and furniture. The leaves and twigs are lopped as cattle fodder.