Bersama lucens old leaves

The old Bersama lucens leaves seen here have retained their shine, but assumed a dark green colour. The specific name, lucens, meaning glossy in Latin, refers to the leaf appearance. Bersama is the common name for trees of the genus in Ethiopia.

The leaf in the centre of the photo seems to have managed four leaflet pairs, although some leaflets have gone missing. The white, greenish white or pale yellow leaflet midribs seem to bulge upon some leaflet surfaces, the lateral veins varying in visibility.

New growth on B. lucens trees may be russet brown, a phase that features in the allure of the tree. This also helps to distinguish the species from Trichilia emetica that has similar dark green and glossy compound leaves (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002; Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997; Pooley, 1993).