A small tree of southern tropical Florida with dense, close-grained, red-brown, valuable wood. It is the only member of its family native to the U.S. Leaves are alternate, persistent, pinnately compound, ovate-lanceolate, and entire with leathery leaflets. Twigs are angular and buds are 1/8" with loose, red scales. The fruit is a large (3-4") dark brown, woody capsule, splitting into 5 parts, releasing flat, long-winged seeds. Bark is reddish-brown, becoming scaly.