Combretum molle stem

The stem of Combretum molle has bark varying in colour from biscuit and beige to shades of grey, ranging from quite pale to almost black. The surface is rough, in picture not as reticulated as sometimes seen. The roughness stems from longitudinal fissuring and transversal cracking leading to flaking.

Layers of the under-bark is mostly paler than the remaining bits of old bark scattered over them. Thin stems, even those around 3 mm in diameter, show (scaled down) reticulation surface patterns. The previous year’s growth is grey and hairy with first minute signs of peeling, while new stem growth is pubescent (Carr, 1988).