Compilation
Erythroxylum caffrum

Shrub or small tree (1) 1·5–9 m. high, occasionally taller (up to 18 m.), evergreen, glabrous; branches rather stout, somewhat flattened and with raised lines decurrent from the petiole-bases when young, soon terete, pale grey or grey-brown, almost smooth; bark vertically fissured, dark grey or grey-brown, sometimes pink-tinged. Leaves petiolate; lamina (1·5) 2–12·5 (15) × (0·6) 1–4·5 (5) cm., varying from oblanceolate or rhombic (rarely obovate) to elliptic (rarely sub-circular), rounded or shortly acuminate towards the apex but always ± shallowly emarginate at the tip, narrowly to broadly cuneate (rarely rounded or truncate) at the base, coriaceous, bright to dark green or bluish-green and shining above, paler green or pale reddish-brown below, with midrib and ± loosely reticulate venation prominent on both sides; petiole 1·5–6 mm. long, rather slender, grooved above; stipules completely united, 1–2 mm. long, broadly triangular, acute, with entire membranous margin, persistent. Flowers solitary or in fascicles of 2–8 in the leaf-axils, usually borne in clusters on stem regions with short internodes; pedicels 5–14 mm. long, rather slender, angular. Sepals c. 1 mm. long, triangular, acute, united for about 1/4 of their length. Petals white, c. 4 mm. long, oblong, rounded at the apex, shortly unguiculate; ligule 1–1·5 mm. long, shortly fimbriate, inserted 1/4 of the length above the base. Short-styled flowers: stamens equal, 4 mm. long; stamen-cup equal to the sepals, usually with 10-denticulate margin; ovary c. 1·5 mm. long, slightly longer than stamen-cup, obovoid; styles 3–1·5 mm. long, free. Long-styled flowers: stamens unequal, the antisepalous 1·75 mm. and antipetalous 3·5 mm. long; stamen-cup as above; ovary as above; styles 3, 3–3·5 mm. long, free. Drupe 8–12 mm. long, bright red, ampullaceous at first but occasionally becoming broadly ellipsoid.