Straggly shrub or weak climber up to 3 m tall. Leaves 3-5-foliolate, leathery and glabrous. Inflorescences on terminal shoots, leafless. Sepals 4, ovate, glabrous except for the pubescent margin. Petals 4, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, white, just longer than stamens. Ovary on long gynophore.
Growing on edge of termitaria on margin of lake basin chipya woodland (scrubland) and riverine forest in clayish soil.
NCW794
Octea usambarebsis
Seedling. You can see the seed coat below the cotyledons.