It is an evergreen cultivated shrub, which is dicotyledonous and angiosperm. Being native plants of Southeast Asia, it can grow up to 7m tall.
Its leaves are alternate, compound with three leaflets in the wild forms and five leaflets in cultivated ones. Leaflets are opposite on the axis with one terminal, elliptic but often wider towards the tip, margin entire and arranged in pairs. The leaf is oval-shaped, about 5.1-10.2cm long and has blunt apexes.
It blooms in summer and autumn; flowers can be unisexual or bisexual. They are yellow, tiny in clusters and are strongly fragrant.
Its fruits are dried berry-like containing 1-2seeds, globular
and about 1.3cm in diameter.
