A large tree, upto 12 m tall with very minutely puberulous to glabrous young shoots. Leaves with a stout, 2-5 cm long, glabrous, grooved petiole; lamina thick fiddle-shaped or pandurate, 15-30 cm long, 12-20 cm 9-10-costate at the cordate base, sinuate-entire, almost truncate and vary shortly acuminate at the apex, glabrous, lateral nerves 4-5 pairs, bulging beneath intercostals present; stipules narrowly triangular-lanceolate, 4-5 cm long, acuminate, glabrous, persistent. Hypanthodia sessile, in axillary pairs, globose, 2.5-4.5 cm in diam., finely puberulous, subtended by 3 triangular, appressed basal bracts, apical orifice somewhat depressed, ± 2-lipped, closed by lanceolate inwardly directed bracts. Male flowers: sepals 2-3, ovate-lanceolate; stamen solitary with ovoid anther. Female flowers; sepals 3, ovate, obtuse; style short with papillate stigma.

Isotypes: Kamerun, Preuss 455; Togo, Buttner.

Distribution: A native of tropical Africa; introduced and cultivated in most European Botanic Gardens and elsewhere.

The author has observed this species in cultivation in Lahore as an indoor house plant.