Diospyros austro-africana var. austro-africana silhouette

Against the sky, the fruiting branch of Diospyros austro-africana var. austro-africana teaches by illustrating leaf and fruit shapes. Long lower stem parts are bare, the leaves only lasting near the growth tips.

The fruits are clustered on these branches a little behind the leafy tips. Seen in March, stem-tip growth has already taken place since flowers appeared from the upper leaf axils six months ago.

This is a fruit-bearing female tree, the species being dioecious (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997; iSpot; www.pza.sanbi.org).