Adina cordifolia

Adina cordifolia is a large deciduous tree growing up to 15 m in height. 
It is densely foliaceous with a crown that can spread up to 20 m in diameter. 
It grows straight up and is mostly unbranched for several metres from the ground. 
In specific condition, its long, straight, clean bole can be up to 1.50 m in diameter and be buttressed and fluted at the base.

The bark of Adina cordifolia is grey to pale brown in colour. 
The bark is horizontally  wrinkled  and cracked. 
On mature old trees, the trunk is often open fluted at the base and buttressed. 
The stem is unbranched for several metres from the ground. 

The leaves of Adina cordifolia are simple, with an opposite arrangement. 
They are broadly oval in shape, heart-shaped at the base and pointed at the tip. 
They are thick chartaceous and have 8 to 10 pairs of lateral nerves. 
The upper side of the leaf is dark green and pubescent along the nerves while the lower side of the leaf is entirely pubescent and lighter green. 
The long petiole can measure up to 8 cm. 
The leaves are more than 5 cm in size. 
The inter-petiolar stipules are foliaceous and caducous (they are dropping off).

The flowers of Adina cordifolia are bisexual. 
They are found in globose axillary flower heads, balls of 2 to 3 cm across, on 5 cm long peduncle each subtended by two small bracts. 
The flowers are small, less than 1 cm, yellow-cream in colour, with a shade of pink. 
Each flower has 5 petals, a funnel-shaped hairy corolla and a 5-lobed calyx. 
The stigma is ovoid and exserted, the filiform style is green in colour. 
The flowers are fragrant.  

The fruit of Adina cordifolia is a capsule of less than 5 mm in size, found on fruiting round heads of 1 to 2 cm across.
Each capsule protects 2 dehiscent cocci. 
Each coccus contains one seed and separates from the whole fruit at maturity. 
The colour of the fruit changes from light green to light brown. 

The seeds of Adina cordifolia are elongated and brown in colour. 
The seeds are very small and light, with numerous minute longitudinal wrinkles. 
One end of the seed is tapering to a tail, and the other end terminating with a pair of wings.