Combretum constrictum M.A.Lawson

Shrub or climber; branchlets glabrescent.. Leaves subopposite; lamina chartaceous to subcoriaceous, oblong to oblong-elliptic, up to 12 cm. long and 6–5 cm. wide, apex rounded or acuminate, base rounded, sometimes tomentose, more usually glabrous or nearly so; lateral nerves 6–9 pairs; petiole 4–6 mm. long, eventually forming a blunt and slightly curved spine at the base.. Inflorescence of subcapitate terminal or axillary spikes up to 6 cm. long; rhachis glabrous or tomentose.. Flower buds unusually large, clavate.. Flowers (fig. 6/43, p. 50) red or pinkish.. Lower receptacle glabrous or tomentose; upper receptacle tubular, broadly infundibuliform at the apex, 10–18 mm. long, 7 mm. in diameter at the apex, constricted in the middle for 4–7 mm. in length, 1.5 mm. in diameter, glabrous or tomentose.. Sepals triangular, 3 mm. long.. Petals narrowly elliptic, 7–8 mm. long, 2.5 mm. wide, clawed, pilose.. Stamen-filaments up to 25 mm. long, 2-seriately inserted on the apical part of the upper receptacle; anthers 0.8 mm. long.. Disk 2 mm. in diameter; margin not free, glabrous.. Fruit (fig. 7/43, p. 51) 5-angled, ellipsoid, sessile, ± 2.5 cm. long, 1.2–1.5 cm. in diameter, glabrous; apical peg absent.