Large, dioecious tree up to 35(–45) m tall; bole usually straight and cylindrical, often branchless for more than 20 m, up to 2 m in diameter, without buttresses, but spurs may become very large and extend into long surface roots; outer bark dark brown to black or grey, inner bark spongy, exuding a white latex. Leaves distichously alternate, simple; stipules free, slightly clasping the stem, up to 3.5 cm × 1.5 cm, caducous; petiole 1–3.5(–6) cm long; blade oblong to elliptical, 4–20(–28) cm × 3–14 cm, base obtuse to cordate, often unequal, apex shortly acuminate, margin almost entire but wavy or toothed towards the apex, papery to thinly leathery, above glabrous or nearly so, below glabrous but sparsely hairy on the veins, pinnately veined with 6–11 pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence a catkin, usually solitary in leaf axils or on leafless nodes at the base of twigs, white hairy, flowers numerous in longitudinal rows alternating with rows of bracts; male inflorescence 8–20 cm × 0.5–1 cm, hanging, peduncle 1–2 cm long; female inflorescence 1–8 cm × 0.5–1.5 cm, peduncle 0.5–1.5 cm long. Flowers unisexual, 4-merous, sessile; male flowers c. 1.5 mm long, tepals 4, basally fused, stamens 4 and inflexed in bud, rudimentary pistil present; female flowers 2–3 mm long, with 4 basally fused tepals, ovary superior, c. 1 mm long, 1-celled, stigma 1, 8–10 mm long, sometimes a second stigma up to 1 mm long. Fruit an achene 2.5–3 mm long, arranged in infructescence 5–8 cm × 1.2–2 cm. Seed c. 2 mm long, pale brown.

Aphrodisiac (decoction of the root and stem bark); galactagogue, aphrodisiac, tonic and purgative (bark); galactogogue and antiseptic (latex)

PROTAbase: Milicia regia

A root decoction is taken to treat female sterility. Preparations from the bark are taken to treat cough, asthma, heart trouble, lumbago, spleen pain, stomach pain, abdominal pain, edema, ascites, dysmenorrhoea, gonorrhoea, general fatigue, rheumatism and sprains. Bark preparations are externally applied to treat scabies, wounds, loss of hair, fever, venereal diseases and sprains. They are applied as an enema to cure piles, diarrhoea and dysentery. The latex is applied on wounds and burns. It is also taken against stomach problems, hypertension and for treatment of tumours and obstructions of the throat. Leaves are eaten to treat insanity. A decoction of the leaves is taken for treatment of gallstones. Leaf preparations are externally applied to treat snakebites and fever and as eye drops to treat filariasis.