The Manketti Tree has a large, straight trunk with stubby and contorted branches and a large spreading crown. The leaves are a distinctive hand shape and are compound. The leaflet is a wide lance to an egg shape. The whitish flowers are oval in shape. The nuts give oil and are considered one of the most important nuts in Africa.
The Manketti Tree prefers hot and dry climates with low amounts of rain. It also prefers to grow in wooded hills and sand dunes.