Combretum aculeatum Vent.

A scandent shrub or in the absence of support a compact or rambling shrub up to 4 m. high; young branches grey to rufous pubescent, older shoots with yellow-brown bark.. Leaves alternate or subopposite; lamina broadly elliptic to obovate, up to 7 cm. long and 5 cm. wide, apex varying from retuse to shortly acuminate, base cuneate, lightly to densely pubescent on both surfaces; lateral nerves 4–6 pairs, rather prominent beneath; petiole 0.1–1 cm. or more long, usually persistent and forming recurved spines up to 1.7 cm. long.. Inflorescence of short axillary racemes.. Flowers yellowish white, fragrant.. Lower receptacle 6–8 mm. long, constricted above and below the ovary, tomentose; upper receptacle urceolate-campanulate, (3–)4.5–6 mm. long, 3–4 mm. in diameter, pubescent.. Sepals deltate, sometimes attenuated.. Petals oblanceolate, 4–6 mm. long, 1–2 mm. wide, lightly pubescent externally.. Stamen-filaments 4–9 mm. long, 2-seriate; anthers 0–7 mm. long.. Disk without a free margin, pubescent.. Fruit (fig. 7/38, p. 51), 5-winged, obovate in outline, 1.5–2.2 cm. long, 1.5–2.3 cm. wide, apexemarginate; body shortly pubescent; wings papyraceous, yellow-brown; apical peg short; stipe 6–12 mm. long.

A tropical plant. It grows in dry savannah. It grows in the Sahel. It can tolerate flooding. It is often on sandy and stony soils. It grows between 10-1,700 m above sea level. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall above 200 mm. It can grow in arid places.

Caution: The leaves should be eaten with caution. They are used in medicine. The leaves are cooked and eaten.

Plants can be grown from seeds. It can be grown from cuttings and root suckers. It can be cut back and will re-grown.