These large shrubs or small trees are up to 6 m tall, usually much-branched from near the base. The young branches are softly woody and have big leaves (to 6 x 8 cm), with 3-5 triangular lobes.
The unisexual flowers are creamy-white with red stripes near the base and produce large green capsules. Oil from the seeds was traditionally used for lighting but nowadays also for manufacturing glycerine, soap and biofuel.
The species is widespread in dry bush and forest in southwestern Madagascar, especially on limestone, and is the only Jatropha that occurs naturally on the island.
