Opilia campestris Engl.

Deciduous shrub, 2–5 m. high, with short leafless branches giving the impression that the shrub is armed with spines; lenticels anastomosing on older wood to give corky ridges as in O. celtidifolia; bark grey-brown to blackish.. Leaves shortly petiolate; leaf-blade elliptic to broadly ovate or suborbicular, 2–5 cm. long, 2.8 cm. wide, broadly acute to rounded, shortly cuneate, puberulous to tomentose when young, usually glabrous, coriaceous when mature.. Inflorescence a raceme borne on short younger branches, covered in peltate almost glabrous bracts, ciliate at margin, early caducous; young inflorescence normally appearing before the leaves or before they are mature, cone-like, but shortly pedunculate at maturity; peduncle up to 2 cm. long; pedicels up to 4 mm., inserted singly or in groups of 3; overall appearance of inflorescence more globular and less catkin-like than in O. celtidifolia.. Flowers small, 5-merous, sweet-scented.. Petals cream to pale yellow, glabrous, less caducous than in O. celtidifolia.. Stamens free, or basally attached to petals.. Ovary small, conical, surrounded by glands; stigma truncate.. Fruit a drupe, ellipsoid, slightly beaked when young, shortly tomentose, purplish when mature, up to 1 cm. long.. Seed stone-like as in O. celtidifolia.. Fig. 1, p. 4.

It is a tropical plant. It grows between 60-1,450 m above sea level. It is often over limestone parent material. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall or 150-500 mm. It can grow in arid places.

The ripe fruit are eaten raw. They are also used for alcoholic drinks. The leaves are used in relishes and chutneys. The roots are used as a fermenting agent for alcoholic drinks.

Can be grown by seedlings.