Edible parts - Leaves, Bark, Fruit, Vegetable
A shrub or small tree. It loses its leaves during the year. It grows 6 m tall. The crown is broad and dense. It has prickly processes on the trunk. The leaves are 6-20 cm long. There are 2-5 leaflets. The leaflet blades are 3-7 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. They are narrowly oval. The flower panicle is 9 cm long. It is at the base of new branches. Male and female flowers are separate. The fruit are about 6 mm across. The seed is black and shiny.
It is a tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands. It grows in dry woodland and on termite mounds. In Kenya it grows from sea level to 1,800 m altitude. It grows on coastal sands and well-drained red clay soils. It can grow in arid places.