Product Description
Synonym(s)
Maesopsis berchemoides
Botanic description
Maesopsis eminii is a leafy, semi-deciduous tree 10-30 m in height with a clear bole up to 10 m. Branches rather horizontal, crown flattened when young, more rounded with age. Bark pale grey-brown, smooth or with deep, vertical, often twisted furrows; slash red outside, yellow near the wood. Leaves simple, opposite, subopposite or alternate, dentate. Petiole 1-2 cm long, canaliculate, red and pubescent. Stipules acute, small, 5-8 mm long. Blade elliptic-lanceolate, 6-15 x 2-5 cm, acuminate at the apex, rounded to subcordate and slightly asymmetrical at the base, with dentate margins and having a gland in each tooth, shiny above, glabrous. M. eminii can be immediately identified by its leaves, with dentate margins bearing very visible glands on the dry leaves. It is characterized by the presence of domatia in the axil of the secondary nerves on the under surfaces. Inflorescence a many-flowered axillary cyme, 1-5 cm long; peduncle 4-25 mm long; bisexual yellowish-green flowers, each 5-lobed with calyx larger than corolla, each lobe enclosing 1 sessile anther. Fruit an obovoid drupe, 20-35 x 10-18 mm, turning from green to yellow to purple-black when maturing; mesocarp floury, cream coloured, endocarp creamy-brown. Has a hard stone containing 1-2 black seeds.