A medium-sized, dioecious, intolerant, and uncommon tree native to the central U.S. Leaves are deciduous, alternate, generally bipinnately compound (to 32") with ovate, entire leaflets. Twigs are stout. Buds are small, downy, deeply sunken and surrounded by an incurved hairy ring of bark. Fruit is a persistent, stout, woody, dark reddish-brown legume, 4-10" long. Bark is thick, dark gray, and scaly.