Machaerium

Shrubs or small trees with firm glabrous branches with pairs of sharp, recurved stipular spines. Leaves imparipinnate, 5-9-foliolate; leaflets opposite or subopposite, short-stalked, oblong-elliptic, rounded at each end, minutely pubescent beneath, pitted above, with +/- 25 pairs of fine secondary nerves and a thick margin. Inflorescence axillary and terminal, sparsely branched panicles. Calyx campanulate, glabrous; teeth short, deltoid, subequal. Corolla : standard broadly ovate or orbicular; wings oblong, often falcate; keel incurved, keel petals connate at back. Stamens monadelphous or vexillar one free; anthers dorsifixed. Ovary short-stalked; ovules 1 or 2; style incurved, filiform; stigma terminal, very small. Pod strongly falcate to curved so that point touches base, indehiscent, flattened, coriaceous, 1-seeded; upper suture prominent, lower one much arched. Seeds reniform, flattened.