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It is a medium-sized evergreen tree, reaching 15-20 m tall,
with alternate pinnate leaves, each leaf 15-25 cm long, with 2-8 lateral
leaflets 5-10 cm long; the terminal leaflet is absent. The newly emerging
young leaves are a bright coppery red at first, before turning green as they
expand to full size. The flowers are small, greenish-white or yellowish-white,
produced in panicles up to 30 cm long.
The fruit is a drupe, 3-4 cm long and 3 cm in diameter. The outside is
covered by a red, roughly-textured rind that is inedible but easily
removed.
The inside consists of a layer of sweet, translucent white flesh, rich in
vitamin C, with a texture somewhat similar to that of a grape. The edible
flesh consists of a highly developed aril enveloping the seed. The center
contains a single glossy brown nut-like seed, 2 cm long and 1-1.5 cm in
diameter. The seed, similar to a buckeye seed, is slightly poisonous and
should not be eaten. The fruit matures from July to October, about 100 days
after flowering.
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