An evergreen tree or shrub, with a dense spreading crown, can grow up to 20-30 m tall, but usually grows much lower. Leaves are odd-pinnate, elliptical, with a blunt apex, or sometimes sharply and shortly pointed. The flowers are whitish, collected in large paniculate inflorescences, up to 30 cm long. Fruits are abundant, round or slightly elongated, flat, up to 2.5 cm in diameter. The thin and fragile outer shell is very pleasant to the touch, velvety, dark brown or almost black. The pulp is not juicy, reminiscent of dried fruits, very sweet with a slight sourness. Inside contains one (rarely two) seed.