Its straight trunk is buttressed and up to 25m long, while its spreading evergreen crown makes it one of the largest trees of the rainforest.

It is found from Senegal to Sudan, Cameroons, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Tanzania, growing as far south as Angola and Zambia.

[4][5] The timber is dense (0.91-1.15) [6] and extremely hard so that cutting and local usage is very limited, but trees are still exploited for firewood.

This tree is usually left standing when forest is cleared for agriculture and forms a prominent part of the resultant landscape.

Round about October the tree produces a spectacular flush of bright red new leaves, flowering taking place at the same time and adding a purple hue.