Tree, to 15 m tall; branchlets ferruginous-puberulent when young, glabrate and prominently lenticellate in age. Petioles ribbed, 2-7 cm long; rachis winged; petiole and rachis sparsely ferruginous-pubescent; leaflets in 2-5 pairs, obovate to elliptic, acute to acuminate, obtuse to rounded at base, densely tomentose to puberulent especially on midrib and veins below, the terminal pair 11-26 cm long, 4.5-12 cm wide. Spikes usually axillary in groups of 1-3; peduncles usually sparsely tomentose, 1-5 (6) cm long; floral rachis much shorter, 0.5-2 (3) cm long; bracts to 12 mm long; calyx and corolla sparsely sericeous; calyx 6-13 (17) mm long, the lobes to 2 mm long; corolla 18-30 mm long, the lobes to 3 mm long; stamens and styles 4-5.5 cm long. Legumes tetragonal with prominently ribbed corners, 11-30 cm long, 1.5-3.5 cm wide, ca 1.5 cm thick, glabrate to densely pubescent. Croat 5025, 7345. An extremely variable species. Often planted for shade in coffee plantations.