The Bark is dark grey and has very prominent wavy ridges with deep fissures, typical of the genus. The slash is yellow, darkening rapidly.
The Wood is not unlike that of T. avicennioides, but lighter in colour and more twisted in the grain, carpentering badly. It is heavier, up to 65 lbs. per cubic foot, and is much coarser.
The Leaves are about 6 inches long and 3 inches broad, oval or elliptic, rounded at the base, variable at the tip. Both surfaces are smooth, the under surface having a slight down. The nerves are prominent beneath and the reticulation of the veins very fine and clear.
The Flowers are on spikes 4-5 inches long, white, with rather long flower stalks, a 5-pointed calyx, pointed in bud, 10 erect stamens and a long ovary. They appear in the leaf axils from February to May and are highly scented.
The Fruits are the typical winged ones of the genus, some 2¾ inches long and an inch wide, thus unusually long for their breadth. They ripen through brilliant shades of red and white to brown, with a fine mauve or grey bloom.
Uses.—The roots are used for bows and walking sticks.
TERMINALIA MACROPTERA Guill. & Perr.—Kandari. COMBRETACEAE.
One of the largest-leaved species and more readily distinguished on sight than most species. It reaches a height of some 40 or more feet with a girth of 6-7 feet. The bole is short, the heavy branches crooked and spreading wide to form a rounded crown, fairly regular in form. The species forms gregarious clumps and is not so evenly distributed through Terminalia forest as are the other species. In the open savannah of the better type which it inhabits the contrast between the large pale green leaves and the almost black stem is very marked. The distinguishing features are the large leaf, smooth on both surfaces, the very marked rosettes of leaves, the short or almost absent leaf-stalk and the large fruits.