Combretum holstii Engl.

Shrub and woody climber to 7 m.; branchlets pale, pinkish brown, glabrous.. Leaves opposite or subopposite; lamina chartaceous, oblong-elliptic, up to 15(–20) cm. long and 7–5(–8–5) cm. wide, apex acuminate, base rounded to cordate, minutely glandular-pustulate but otherwise glabrous; lateral nerves 7–9(-11) pairs; petiole up to 10 mm. long, with glabrous basal part forming a curved spine.. Inflorescences of axillary spikes up to 14 cm. long, often in the axils of fallen leaves; rhachis glabrous.. Flowers crimson or purplish red, often appearing with the leaves.. Lower receptacle ± 5 mm. long, glabrous except sometimes for glandular hairs; upper receptacle with broadly infundibuliform upper part and subglobose lower part surrounding the disk, slightly constricted between the 2 parts, 10–15 mm. long, 5–6 mm. in diameter, glabrous or sparsely glandular-hairy.. Sepals deltate, 2–2–5 mm. long.. Petals narrowly ovate-elliptic, up to 6 mm. long, 2.2–8 mm. wide, clawed, pubescent externally.. Stamen-filaments 17–18 mm. long; anthers 2 mm. long.. Disk glabrous except for pubescent margin, which is not free.. Fruit (fig. 7/42, p. 51) 5-winged, broadly elliptic to subcircular in outline, up to 3–5 cm. long, 3 cm. wide, glabrous, shiny; apical peg very short; wings up to 10 mm. wide; stipe up to 9 mm. long.