Tree, 5-20 (25) m tall, to 70 cm dbh, the pubescence stellate, ferruginous, dense except on upper leaf surface, the older stems +/- glabrous. Leaves deciduous; stipules ovate-lanceolate, 10-20 mm long, subpersistent; petioles 8-12 mm long; blades broadly elliptic to ovate, abruptly acuminate at apex, truncate, rounded or subcordate and sometimes inequilateral at base, 8-24 cm long, 6-12 cm wide, serrate. Panicles open, terminal or upper-axillary, to 12 cm long; pedicels 1-3.5 cm long; bracteoles 9 or 10, deciduous, lanceolate-linear, to 2 cm long and 4 mm wide, stellate-pubescent on both sides; flowers 5-parted; sepals lanceolate-oblong, 3-4 cm long, to 9 mm wide, glabrous inside; petals light yellow, obovate, to 3.5 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, glabrous but with villous base inside, the margin irregular; stamens many, in 5 or 10 clusters, densely white-hirsute at base, l-2 cm long; style 1.5-2.5 cm long; stigma capitate. Capsules oblong-obovate, to 4.5 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, obtusely 5-angled, rounded at apex, woody, ferruginous-tomentose; seeds very numerous, winged, flattened, oblique, ca 10 mm long and 4 mm wide, overlapping in 2 rows in each of 5 carpels, the valves opening slightly at maturity. Croat 4222, 7871. Mexico to Colombia and Brazil (as far south as Saõ Paulo fide Rizzini, 1971); Cuba. In Panama, known from tropical moist forest in the Canal Zone, Colón, San Blas, Herrera, Panama, and Darien, from tropical dry forest in Coclé and Panama (Taboga Island), from premontane moist forest in the Canal Zone and Panama, from premontane wet forest in Coclé and Panama, and from tropical wet forest in Panama and Darien.