Mauwa is a tree identified by fissured bark, compound leaves with leaflets opposite, and winged nuts. It is a deciduous tree that grows up to 20 m tall. Bole is straight. The bark is grey or grey-brown, deeply fissured. Leaves are compound, alternate and spiral, impar- or paripinnate, leaflets are narrowly ovate or elliptic, with yellow glandular dots, margin entire. The primary vein is single.

Flowers are arranged in a many-flowered inflorescence, in leaf axils, on small leafless twigs, unisexual, on the same tree, on stalks up to 3 mm long. The fruit is up to 3.5 cm long, 1-seeded, 3-winged nutlet, not splitting open. Mauwa is found in the Himalayas, till NE India, at altitudes of 1000-3000 m. Flowering: March-April.