Hi everyone! First of all, I'd like to say that I am super happy to have found this forum which seems to me to be a last chance to get an answer to my question. My question is perhaps a bit challenging because I neither have a picture nor a name for the plant which I am desperately looking for. Anyway, I'll give it a try (after I've been searching the internet for hours for pictures). I am looking for the name (and a picture) of a tree that grows in southern Cameroon. I am not a botanist, but I try to describe it as thoroughly as I can. The tree as I've seen it many times is not very tall, perhaps about 30-40 feet. It doesn't have any branches, but grows straight in a single trunk. It has dark green, oval leaves with an even edge. I never paid attention to the trunk and the bark since you cannot see it easily because the leaves grow around the trunk in a circular way (I think). The most salient feature about this tree is the new leaves which grow on the top and which have a deep red color. From far away, they look like red flowers, but they are definitely leaves. From my observation, this is not a rare plant, it grows frequently along the roads (next to umbrella trees). I've never seen it in the primary rain forest, it seems to occur exclusively in secondary forest. I never noticed any fruit or flowers. I also don't think that the tree is used by the population. I'd be most grateful for any hint, name, picture, etc. Thanks very much!
Unfortunately not. The leaves are bigger, longer and darker and they are closer to each other. They look somewhat stiff and point upwards (not hanging down). Also, they are round and not pointed.
Wild guess: Ficus ingens? Smallish African tree---new leaves are red. http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantefg/ficusingens.htm Welcome to the Forum!
Pentagonia wendlandii or Dillenia pentagyna? Of course neither occurs naturally in Africa as far as I know.
Thanks to you all for your help. I think, we are getting closer. With your help I found a picture that almost looks like the plant I am looking for: http://luirig.altervista.org/cpm/albums/bot-hawaii11/05338-Dillenia-indica.jpg However, the topmost leaves should be glaring red. Also, I read that Dillenia indica is indeed native to southeast Asia (which doesn't mean that it doesn't occur in Africa, there are many imported trees).
thanks. I checked it, but unfortunately the leaves of my tree are wider, darker and are standing upright...
