Sterculia alexandri bole base

The base of this Sterculia alexandri trunk in Kirstenbosch shows some life events like branching at the base, gnarling and an earlier amputation. Bulging at ground level where the upper root beginning has become stem is also present.

S. alexandri tends to grow added prostrate branches and suckering from which vertical shoots arise later. The bark is normally smooth and pale grey, mottled and covered in small, scattered lenticels.

Reddish longitudinal fissures are visible on the left side of the trunk where more underbark has become exposed from faster recent adding to the tree’s girth. The other side is greyer, has an older, more stable surface (Coates Palgrave, 2002).