An evergreen or briefly deciduous, glabrous shrub or tree with spreading branches, 15—25 m tall, trunk up to 80 cm in diameter. Leaflets 5—9, ovate, elliptical or oblong, 5—25 cm x 2.5—15 cm, base rounded to cuneate, apex obtuse-acuminate. Inflorescence pseudoracemose, axillary, 6—27 cm long, each node bearing a pair of strongly fragrant flowers; calyx campanulate, 4—5 mm long, truncate, finely pubescent, corolla white to pink, purple inside, often with green central blotch, brownish veined outside, standard rounded obovate, 1—2 cm long, with basal callosities, thinly silky hairy, wings oblong, oblique, slightly adherent to obtuse keel, stamens monadelphous, vexillary one free at base, joined to the tube in the middle. Pod oblique-oblongoid to ellipsoid, flat, 5—8 cm x 2—3.5 cm x 1—1.5 cm, smooth, thick-leathery to subwoody, beaked, short-stalked, tardily dehiscent, 1—2-seeded, mesocarp fibrous. Seed compressed ovoid, 1.5—2.5 cm x 1.2—2 cm x 0.8 cm, with a brittle coat.

Acts as antiseptic (extracts from the leaves, bark and seed).

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation