Shrub up to 2.5 m tall, glabrous. Leaves opposite, pinnate, with 3-7 leaflets; leaflets elliptic to elliptic-ovate. Flowers in short terminal ± erect panicles, bright yellow, fragrant. Calyx tubular-campanulate, ± 4.5 mm long; lobes triangular, acuminate, ciliolate. Corolla tube 32-33 mm long, abruptly contracted at the base, sparse pubescent within and glandulose towards the base; lobes subequal. Stamens included; filaments of longer stamens 20 mm long, curved, base glandulose; anther cells 2, linear, pubescent; staminodes filiform, 5-6, 5mm long. Disc shallow cupular, 5-lobed, fleshy. Ovary c. 3.5 mm long, elongated, minutely papillose. Style 18-20 mm long; stigma 2-lobed, lobes oval to ovoid, c. 1.5 mm long. Capsule 12-16 x 0.7-0.8 cm. Seeds orbicular-compressed, 5 x 6-6.5 mm (wing 16-18 mm broad).

Fl. Per.: most of the year.

Type: Described from America.

Distribution: A native of tropical S.America. Widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics.

The “Yellow Alder” is commonly cultivated in gardens.