The leaves, trunk, and young fruits exude a white, milky sap when injured. The margins of the lobes are very variable, and range from entire to undulate to deeply lobed.
Male flowers are morphologically distinct from female flowers.
Male inflorescences are borne in many-flowered panicles of cymes on horizontal or pendent stalks to 1 m long. The flowers are yellowish, 2-4 cm long. The petals are fused into a long tube, have 10 fertile stamens, and a rudimentary, non-functional ovary. Female flowers are larger, usually white or cream in color, with five free petals. There are no stamens, but a large ovary with 5 fan-shaped stigmas.