Volkameria glabra fruit

The spherical fruit of Volkameria glabra are fleshy, reaching 1 cm in diameter when they are ripe and yellow. Here they are still small and green among brown floral debris of the faded stem-tip cluster.

The pale, curved tips of the narrow lobes of the cup-like calyx are visible around the backs of some fruits. Birds eat the fruit that may remain on the tree for months, from the end of summer to the end of winter.

The leaves grow opposite or in whorls, drooping from slender, often erect petioles of between 1 cm and 2 cm long. The leaves are ovate to elliptic in shape, hairless and almost fleshy in texture. Glabrum from glaber means smooth or bald in Latin, referring to the smooth hairlessness of the leaves. Leaf tips taper, sometimes attenuate; the bases are rounded or taper.

Leaf colour is dark green on the upper surface, paler below with sunken gland dots. Leaves tend to fold in along their midribs. Lateral veins are visible, curving in before reaching the margins. Leaf margins are entire and slightly rolled under.

This decorative tree grows fast from cuttings or seed, popular in the gardening world (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002; Pooley, 1993; www.plantzafrica.com).