Beli is a small tree up to 8 m tall, with trunk carrying branched thorns; bark dark grey, smooth; blaze yellowish. Young branchlets are round, hairless, thorny. Leaves are compound, up to 15 cm long, alternate, spiral; axis with inverted-lanceshaped wings, hairless. Flowers are borne in leaf-axils. Flowers are white, flower-stalk 8-10 mm long; sepals 4, free or united at base, ovate-round, glandular; petals 4, free, elliptic or oblong, white. Berry, 6-8 mm across, is spherical; seeds 1-4.