Crotonogynopsis usambarica Pax

A spindly shrub or small tree up to 10 m. high, but more commonly 1–2.5 m.. Bark yellowish.. Stems simple or sparingly branched, densely leafy at the apex.. Young twigs longitudinally furrowed, sparingly pubescent, soon glabrescent.. Petioles 0.3–1 cm. long, 3–4 mm. thick, glabrous; leaf-blade narrowly oblanceolate, 30–65 cm. long, 8–11 cm. wide at the widest point, 1–3 cm. wide at the base, acutely to obtusely acuminate, long-attenuate to the narrowly rounded or shallowly cordate and subauriculate base, shallowly and remotely repand-dentate or scarcely denticulate to subentire, firmly membranous or somewhat chartaceous, lateral nerves 15–25 pairs, midrib prominent beneath, with several minute glandular patches on either side of the midrib near the base, glabrous at least when mature.. Stipules triangular, lanceolate, 1–2 mm. long, ciliate, fugacious.. Male racemes up to 17 cm. long, densely flowered; axis evenly to sparingly pubescent; bracts ovate-lanceolate, 2 mm. long, acute, pubescent; bracteoles 2, smaller than the bracts.. Male flowers: pedicels jointed a third of the length from the base, 5 mm. long, pubescent; calyx-lobes ovate, 1.5–2 mm. long, subacute or obtuse, glabrous, recurved, pure white; disc-glands ± cylindric, 0.5 mm. long, somewhat erose; stamens 4–5 mm. long, anthers 1 mm. long.. Female racemes up to 7 cm. long, laxly flowered; axis sparingly pubescent; bracts and bracteoles as in the ♂, but later becoming somewhat indurated.. Female flowers: pedicels as in the ♂ flowers, but elongating to 1–2 cm. in fruit; sepals triangular-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 1.5 mm. long, acute, ciliate, pubescent; disc ± circular, concave, with 4–5 small obtuse or rounded marginal lobes; ovary subglobose-trilobed, 2 mm. long, 3 mm. diameter, smooth, glabrous; styles narrowly cylindric, 2–3 mm. long.. Fruit 0.6 cm. long, 1 cm. in diameter, ± smooth, glabrous.. Seeds 4 mm. long, 3.5 mm. wide, smooth, slightly shiny, brownish, mottled or flecked ochreous.. Fig. 40.