Much-branched bushy scandent deciduous shrub up to 5 m. high.. Young branches densely tomentose but peeling to expose a greyish purple surface.. Leaves opposite; lamina papyraceous, narrowly oblong-elliptic to obovate, up to 13 cm. long and 4 cm. wide, apex rounded, sometimes retuse or even apiculate, base subcordate, revolute or folded inwards in time of drought, pubescent to glabrescent and lepidote above, pubescent to tomentose beneath, often concealing the dense but not contiguous silvery scales; lateral nerves 8–14 pairs; petiole up to 5 mm. long, stout, densely rufous pubescent.. Inflorescence simple axillary spikes 2.3 cm. long; peduncles up to 2 cm. long, densely rufous pubescent.. Flowers (fig. 3/27, p. 14) yellow-green to yellow, fragrance not recorded.. Lower receptacle ± 1 mm. long, tomentose; upper receptacle campanulate, 2–3 mm. long, 2.5 mm. wide, tomentose to lightly pubescent, lepidote.. Sepals deltate.. Petals oblong-obovate, 1.5 mm. long, 0.8 mm. wide, glabrous.. Stamen-filaments ± 4 mm. long, 2-seriately inserted near the base of the receptacle; anthers 0.5 mm. long.. Disk lobed, not conspicuous.. Fruit (fig. 5/27, p. 16) ovate-acute in outline, 2–3 cm. long, 1.2–1.5 cm. wide, shallowly winged (wings 1.5–7 mm. wide), glabrous; stipe 2–3 mm. long.. Scales (fig. 2/27, p. 13) as for the section.
Home