Tree up to 12 m high, deciduous; trunk utriculate, bark green; branches glabrous; leaves towards the end of the branches, 5-9 compound digitate; leaflets 2-10 cm long, 1-4 cm wide, herbaceous or papery, oblong-ovate; apex emarginate, base pointed, narrowly decurrent; margin irregular and planate, grey when dry, penninerved; petioles up to 8 cm long, cylindrical, glabrous; petiolules short; flowers single, actinomorphic, 11-12 cm long, axillary or almost terminal; 5 petals, 10.5-11.5 cm long, 1.1-1.4 cm wide, oblong-lanceolate, apex pointed, densely puberulous to tomentulous externally and puberulous internally; capsule 6-7.5 cm long, 2.8-3.5 cm wide, ovoid; seeds numerous, 0.5-0.7 cm long, pear-shaped, with yellowish wool, wind dispersed. Common name: ceibón. Species endemic to western Cuba.