Ochna holstii old flowers

Past their prime, this cluster of Ochna holstii flowers, seen from below, show their enlarged, pale sepals that hold their shape better than the dry, red-brown petals below. Flowers grow in clusters of 7 to 14.

The stem-tip bark in the photo looks grey and gnarled. Young stems with soft bark are covered in scattered lenticels. The bark of this tree is used medicinally (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002).