Melhania acuminata leaves and flowers

The simple, alternate leaves of Melhania acuminata are stalked, with narrow, persistent stipules at the stalk base. The petiole or stalk becomes about 1,5 cm long.

The leaf-shape is lanceolate to oblong, its base rounded, the tip bluntly pointed. The grey-green blades are paler on the lower surfaces, folded in along the midribs. A few lateral veins may be visible, ascending from the midrib. Star-shaped, split hairs are present in the velvety covering of the blade. The margins are minutely toothed. The leaves are up to 10 cm long.

The bisexual flower has five persistent, lanceolate sepals, as well as epicalyces comprised of heart-shaped bracts. The five obovate, yellow petals are slightly asymmetrical and broad-tipped. There are five stamens alternating with staminodes, all connected at the base. The ovary is five-locular, the style ending in five stigma branches.

The fruit is a hairy capsule that splits per locule when ripe, the seeds angular (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; JSTOR; iNaturalist; www.zimbabweflora.co.zw).