Changes

*Evergreen tree, 4-20 m tall, in cultivation usually 4-6 m. *Taproot up to 2 m long with a dense mat of lateral feeder roots up to 6 m long in upper 20 cm of the soil; roots possibly with mycorrhizal associations. *Stem growth sympodial, with orthotropic subterminal shoots (chupons) and lateral branching with successive whorls (fan or "jorquette") of (3-)5(-6) plagiotropic branches. *Leaves thin-coriaceous, petiolate, arranged spirally on orthotropic, alternate on plagiotropic branches; petiole 1-10 cm long, characteristically thickened at both ends; blade subobovate-oblong to elliptical-oblong, 15-50 cm × 4-15 cm, rounded at base, subundulate along the margin, apex acuminate, pubescent on the veins; with a prominent main vein and 9-12 pairs of lateral veins. *Inflorescences on the trunk and older branches (cauliflorous), usually borne on small tubercles (flower-cushions) in many-flowered fascicles; flower .*Flower 5-merous, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, regular, bisexual; pedicel 0.5-1.5 cm long; sepals 5, oblong to lanceolate, 5-8 mm × 1.5-2 mm, white to reddish, reflexed; petals 5, smaller than sepals, with obovate base, expanding into concave cup-shaped pouch, upper part spatulate, pale yellow, reflexed; androecium with 5 outer, erect, pointed, ciliate staminodes and 5 inner stamens with reflexed filaments, anthers concealed in pouches of corresponding petals; pistil with 5 very short styles, connate at base. *Fruit a berry-like drupe, commonly called pod, very variable in shape, from globose to cylindrical and pointed, 10-32 cm × 6-12 cm, smooth to warty, usually with 5 or 10 furrows, green, yellow, red or purplish, with fruit wall (husk) varying in thickness (up to 2 cm) and in degree of lignification, 20-60-seeded. *Seeds (beans) arranged in 5 rows, with central placentation, very variable, globose to ellipsoid, 2-4 cm × 1-2 cm, embedded in mucilageous, whitish, sugary and acid pulp, developed from the outer integument of the ovule, with two convoluted cotyledons and small embryo enclosed in thin membrane (remains of endosperm), with leathery testa. *Seedling with epigeal germination.