L. coriaria rarely reaches its maximum height of 9 m (30 ft) because its growth is contorted by the trade winds that batter the exposed coastal sites where it often grows. In other environments it grows into a low dome shape with a clear sub canopy space. Leaves are bipinnate, with 5–10 pairs of pinnae, each pinna with 15–25 pairs of leaflets; the individual leaflets are 7 mm long and 2 mm broad. The fruit is a twisted pod 5 cm (2.0 in) long.
According to the FAO's Ecocrop database, the pods provide tannin and a black dye used in the tanning industry and for ink. The pods also have medicinal properties. The hard, dark colored wood is used for carpentry. The tree can be planted for shade. Yields of pods may be 45–135 kg per tree per year.[4]
^"Libidibia Schltdl."Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2021-06-28.
^"Vegetable tannins". Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books. Conservation OnLine. 2011-03-10. Retrieved 2011-04-18.
^Perez-Tello, Carlos (1995). "Recovery of Vegetable Tannins from Divi-divi Pods". Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology. 64 (1): 101–104. doi:10.1002/jctb.280640116.