Combretum molle

Combretum molle G. Don.

Common names

Velvet bushwillow (English); kalume kamulama, kaunda, montamfumu, mulondwe (Bemba); mulama (Bemba/Nyanja); kalama, changongo, chinama, kadale, kakungi, mpakasa, kakunguni, mkute (Nyanja); isumbu (Tumbuka).

General description and distinguishing characteristics

A semi-deciduous small tree or shrub up to 8 m tall. Bark black-brown to grey-brown, rough, fissured. Branchlets hairy to hairless with bark coming off in fibrous strips. Leaves simple, opposite, up to 14 x 9 cm, densely grey, velvety with nerves usually prominent beneath. Leaf narrowly ovate-elliptic or obovate. Petiole usually 2-3 mm, but up to 9 mm long. Flowers yellow or greenish yellow, produced in axillary spikes up to 7 cm long (September-November). Fruit four-winged, pale yellow-brown, 2 x 2 cm with shallow notches at top and bottom (June-September).

Range and habitat

Combretum molle occurs throughout tropical and southern Africa, and is widespread from high to low altitudes. In the valley it is found in hill miombo woodland in the foothills of the escarpments and in Combretum-Terminalia-Burkea woodland on sandy soils 5-10 km back from the Luangwa river.

© Photo: Bart Wursten, http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/