Monkey Bread Tree is a tall shrub or a small tree with a twisted stem, reaching 6 m in height, very branched; sometimes bears off-shoots. Smooth bark, vertically cracked, very fibrous on the inner side. Young leaves are feathery and reddish. Adult leaves are hanging, bilobate, the two lobes making a wide angle. The lower face of the leaf blade shows a very prominent vein netting which clearly distinguishes this species from B. reticulata with which it is sometimes confused. Flowers are set in long hairy racemes (to 20 cm). Flowers medium to small, unisexual in racemes or panicles. Calyx with turbinate tube and 4-5 short lobes. Petals 5. Fertile stamens 10 (in male flowers), reduced to staminodes in female flowers. Fruits are long, wide, very coriaceous, flat and slightly cracked pods, velvet in the early stages. The wood is reddish, becoming dirty brown after exposure. Blossoms from December to June. Fruit persistent for a long time on the tree. Monket bread tree is pan-African in origin.