Shrub or small tree. Bark bluish-green flaking in large yellowish-grey strips; branches without spines. Leaves clustered on small lateral shoots, 3-foliolate or rarely imparipinnate with 5-9 leaflets; leaflets obovate, blue-green, especially below, normally hairless, sometimes slightly hairy when imparipinnate; margin entire or finely toothed near the apex; petiole slender, often pinkish, up to 5 cm long. Flowers in small axillary clusters, greenish-yellow, appearing with the leaves. Fruit on a long peduncle, spherical, c. 1.2 cm, red when ripe, splitting to reveal a black seed cupped in a 4-lobed bright red pseudo-aril.