Combretum molle fruit

Fruit are present in January on this Combretum molle tree after good rain in Pretoria. They are still small, the samara wings gradually becoming elliptic, not quite reaching semi-circular. The wings grow in opposite pairs, perpendicular to each other upon the vital fruit part that is developing into a seed in the centre of the yellow-brown and reddish structure. Fine corrugations are present upon the wings.

The apex of the fruit is rounded with a shallow notch and an apical peg. Fruits become about 2,3 cm long, 1,9 cm wide. It carries an ellipsoid seed about 9 mm long with blunt tips and longitudinal grooves.

The slightly convex leaves in picture show distinct venation on the upper surface, the midrib slightly raised near the leaf base only, recessed towards the tip. Both lateral veins and finely reticulated net-veining are conspicuous, recessed above and raised below. Fine pale hairiness is present in a velvety covering, better seen through a magnifying glass (Carr, 1988).