Diospyros saldanhae Kosterm.

Type
Indigenous
Family
Ebenaceae
Habit
Small to medium sized tree
Botanical Features

Trees, 8-10 m high; branchlets very densely tomentose, the indumentum consisting mainly of slender, stiff hairs, c. 1 mm long, interspaced with 2 mm long hairs. Leaves alternate, spirally arranged, 3 x 6 - 6 x 14 cm, subovate- elliptic, , shortly, broadly acuminate with obtuse tip, base sub-cordate, both surfaces finely, prominulously reticulate, thinly coriaceous,  glabrous above except on midrib, which is prominent in its basal part and impressed in its upper part; lateral nerves very slender, ca. 10 pairs hardly prominulous; lower surface of leaf tomentellous, midrib prominent; petiole very short, thick, 3 mm, densely tomentellous. Fruit 2.5 cm diameter, solitary, subovoid-globose, densely tometellous; pedicel 2 mm long, pilose; perianth lobes 4, oblong-ovate, obtuse, 5 mm long; seeds 3, narrowly pear-shaped, slightly pointed, smooth, 15 mm long, endosperm equable.