Cussonia corbisieri De Wild.

Araliaceae, J. F. M. Cannon. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Habit

A robust suffrutex arising from a woody subterranean rhizomatous rootstock, the whole plant less than 1 m. tall.

Leaves

Leaves palmate (rarely subdigitate).

Petiole

Petiole up to 60 cm. long, arising directly from the crown of the rootstock, subglabrous to fairly densely pubescent with crisped hairs.

Leaf lamina

Lamina up to 30 × 30 cm., chartaceous to subcoriaceous, very densely covered with crisped hairs when young, especially on the veins; indumentum appearing much sparser on the mature leaf owing to expansion of the lamina. Lobes (5)6(7), obovate, apex acute to long-acuminate; margin crenate-serrate to rather irregularly serrate-dentate.

Inflorescences

Spikes at first very crowded, but elongating and becoming less dense at the fruiting stage, up to 60 cm. long. Inflorescence a group of spikes similar to those of C. arborea arising directly from the crown of the rootstock.

Bracts

Basal bracts densely puberulous.

Flowers

Flowers sessile, with narrowly linear, pubescent floral bracts.

Stylopodium

Stylopodium well developed, conical, c. 2 mm. long, stigmatic surfaces free for only a very short distance.

Fruits

Fruit ovoid, slightly ribbed, 8–10 × 6–8 mm.