Combretum obovatum F.Hoffm.

Usually a coppicing shrub, semi-scandent or scandent, sometimes a liane, possibly (fide Procter 1665) a small tree.. Leaves opposite or 3-verticillate, often white or whitish and bract-like below the inflorescences; lamina obovate, broadly obovate-oblong or obovate-elliptic, up to 7(–8) cm. long and 3–4 cm. wide, apex usually rounded and occasionally rather bluntly acuminate and often mucronate, base usually rounded to subcordate, tomen-tose when young and remaining densely pubescent or pilose beneath when mature at least on the nerves and reticulation; lateral nerves 5–8 pairs; petiole 5–12 mm. long, sometimes persisting and forming a curved spine.. Inflorescences of congested or subcapitate axillary spikes 2–4(–6) cm. long or short panicles by reduction of the leaves to leaf-like bracts.. Flowers (fig. 6/33, p. 50) 5-merous, white, cream or pink, fragrant.. Lower receptacle 2 mm. long, densely pubescent; upper receptacle broadly campanulate, 2–3 mm. long, 3 mm. in diameter, tomentose to densely pubescent.. Sepals ovate-triangular, 1.5 mm. long.. Petals narrowly oblong or obovate-oblong or spathulate, 2 mm. long, 0.6–0.8 mm. wide, hairy externally.. Stamen-filaments 6–7 mm. long; anthers 1 mm. long.. Disk near the base of the receptacle; margin lobed, thick, glabrous, scarcely free.. Fruit (fig. 7/33, p. 51) 5(–6)-winged, obovate-oblong to transversely elliptic in outline, 3–3.5cm. long, 2.5–3 cm. wide, subsessile, pale brown tomentose when young and remaining so on the body; apical peg absent or very short.. Cotyledons 3, arising at or below soil-level and unfolding spirally; petioles 7–13 mm. long.