Operculicarya hyphaenoides

Operculicarya hyphaenoides is a large deciduous shrubs, with several thick gnarled trunks from common base or small tree growing up to 1.5 metres, occasionally to 3 metres tall. The species has a bonsai-like appearance and has appeal to specialist collectors of succulents.
Derivation of specific name: hyphaenoides; from Hyphaene, genus (Arecaceae), and Greek -oides, suffix indicating resemblance: species resembling Hyphaene.
Stem: Trunks several, thick, gnarled, cylindrical, up to 1.5(-3) m tall, and 0.4 m in diameter with irregularly bumpy-warty bark, each with a spreading much-branched crown. Secondary branches short (brachyblasts), to 2.5 cm long, glabrous, brownish-grey, more or less straight.