Compilation
Combretum imberbe

Tree to 33 m. tall or a shrub, branches often becoming spiny; new growth densely rufous lepidote. Leaves opposite or subopposite; lamina silvery, papyraceous to subcoriaceous, narrowly elliptic to elliptic-oblong or elliptic-obovate, (2.5–)5–6(–8.5) cm. long, (l–)2–2.5(–3) cm. wide, apex obtuse or rounded and often mucronate, base obtuse to narrowly cuneate, densely silvery lepidote on both surfaces, otherwise glabrous, scales often contiguous or overlapping; lateral nerves 4–7 pairs, scarcely visible; petiole 4–10 mm. long, densely rufous lepidote. Inflorescence up to ± 10 cm. long, spikes often forming a terminal panicle by suppression of the upper leaves, or unbranched lateral spikes up to 5 cm. long. Flowers yellowish. Lower and upper receptacles densely silvery or rufous lepidote, otherwise glabrous or nearly so. Sepals ovate-triangular. Petals obovate to spathulate, 1–1.2 mm. long, 0.4–0.6 mm. wide, glabrous. Stamen-filaments 1.5–2 mm. long; anthers 0.3–0.4 mm. long. Disk 2–2.5 mm. in diameter, margin densely tomentose. Style 2 mm. long, lower part densely glandular. Fruit (fig. 4/4, p. 15) subcircular to broadly ovate in outline, 1.3–1.8 cm. long, 1.3–1.8 cm. wide, fairly densely to densely silvery lepidote, otherwise glabrous or nearly so, apex pointed; apical peg up to 1 mm. long or absent; wings up to 7 mm. broad; stipe 2–3 mm. long. Cotyledons 2, 15–18 mm. long, 15 mm. wide, with petioles 9–11 mm. long, arising at or below soil-level. Scales (fig. 1/4, p. 12) 120–300 μ in diameter, roughly circular, cells very numerous and small (marginal cells ± 40–100), divided by many radial and tangential walls; cells beneath the scales with conspicuous round papillae.