Combretum adenogonium

Combretum adenogonium Steud. Ex A.Rich. (Combretum fragrans F. Hoffm.)

Common names

Four-leaved bushwillow (English); kakolo, mufuka (Bemba); mulama, kalama (Kunda); chinama, fiti, kadale, mpakasa, muramo, murima, kakolo, kalama, kambakumbaku (Nyanja); kalama, tulama (Tumbuka)

General description and distinguishing characteristics

A deciduous shrub or small tree up to 10 m tall. Bark creamy-brown or grey-brown, vertically cracked or scaly, exuding gum. Leaves simple, opposite, usually clustered in fours (sometimes threes), up to 20 x 9 cm. Leaves ovate or ovate-elliptic, stiff in texture, apex acute to rounded, lateral nerves rather prominent, petiole up to 1.5 cm long or sometimes very short to non-existent (sessile). The leaves are a conspicuous bright green in flush (August-October) and when older have a pronounced reddish tinge.Flowers white, cream or yellow in dense, often branched spikes up to 4 cm long, appearing before or with the new leaves (August-October). Fruit four winged, brown or reddish yellow drying to a biscuit brown, 2.5-3.5 x 2.5-3 cm in diameter (September-February).

Distribution and habitat

C. adenogonium is widespread in Africa, occurring from West Africa to Sudan and southwards. In the valley, it is ubiquitous and is found in riverine fringe woodland and thicket; Combretum-Terminalia open woodland; Combretum-Terminalia-Diospyros wooded grassland. It grows principally on sandy soils but is also found in stands on sandy clay alluvium or ‘black cotton’ soils.