The Bark is grey or blue-grey, with very deep fissures and prominent vertical, wavy ridges of hard cork, typical of the genus. The slash is yellow, rapidly darkening on exposure.
The Wood resembles that of Oak in colour and hardness and often in grain, being light brown with splashes of lighter tone, specially noticeable on the tangential section, with a bright sheen. In transverse section the rings are clear and the pores are clearly visible to the unaided eye as lighter than the ground colour, grouped in concentric rings of soft tissue, or evenly distributed in numerous festoons. The rays are very fine, closely spaced and slightly wavy. The wood is hard, sound, carpenters well and weighs 55 lbs. a cubic foot.
The Leaves are 7-9 inches long and 2-5 inches broad, either elliptic or long and narrow, the upper surface dark green and softly cottony, the under side almost white with the nerves very prominent and the network of veins clearly outlined. The basal lobes are often unequal and the tip more often rounded. The type illustrated is twice as broad as the other extreme found.
The Flowers are in spikes about 4 inches long, loosely grouped, white or pinkish in colour, the pink on the tips of the sepals. The calyx is pubescent, and there are 8 erect stamens. The flowers are scented and appear from February to May.
The Fruits are winged seeds 2-2½ inches long and 1 inch broad, tapering at the ends and covered with a purplish or grey bloom.
Uses.—The roots are used for bows and walking sticks.
TERMINALIA GLAUCESCENS Pl.—Baushi. COMBRETACEAE.
This is a large tree, sometimes as much as 60 feet in height with a good clean bole 6-8 feet in diameter, especially on stream banks. The crown of large trees is high, rounded and open, and a bole length of 30 feet is not uncommon. The distinguishing feature is the smooth under surface of the leaf, which has only a slight pubescence, and the dark smooth surface of the upper side. It is a prominent feature of better class savannah and one of the largest species.