Deciduous tree, up to 50 m tall, younger parts densely pubescent with stellate hairs. Leaves broadly elliptic, (10-)25-50(-80) cm long, (5-)20-40(-50) cm broad, entire to repand-dentate, acute or shortly acuminate, glabrescent, shining-green above, paler and tomentose beneath. Terminal cymes usually 30-40 cm long, and nearly as broad. Flowers c. 6 mm across, white, rarely pinkish. Calyx 3-4.5 mm long, campanulate, 5-7-toothed, bladder-like and enlarged up to 2.5 cm in fruit, brittle and dry. Corolla-tube 1.5-3 mm long; lobes 5-7, ovate-elliptic, 2.5-3 mm long, straight or reflexed. Stamens 2.5-4 mm long, exserted. Fruit subglobose to tetragonally flattened, c. 1.5 cm in diameter, tomentose, usually slightly 4-lobed at the apex.

Fl. Per.: Aug.-Nov.

Type: “Habitat in Summitatibus montium Palliacatensium, in vastis sylvis prope Ariolos & in Zeylonia.”.

Distribution: Native of tropical southern Asia and Malaysia, widely cultivated for its highly priced timber.

Introduced and cultivated in some parts of Punjab and Sind. It is very sensitive to frost when young.