Monkey Fingers

Description

Scrambling shrub or very small tree. Leaves alternate, obovate, bluish-green with conspicuous pale veins, velvety when young. Flowers solitary, terminal or above the leaf axils, cream to greenish yellow, fleshy. This species in leaf resembles closely Bridelia mollis (Euphorbiaceae). However, species in the Annonaceae have leaves which are aromatic when crushed and also do not possess stipules, which the Euphorbiaceae do. Furthermore, the leaves of Friesodielsia are usually obovate (ovate to obovate in B. mollis). The flowers and fruits of the two species are of course completely different.