Elaeagnus umbellata

E. umbellata is a deciduous shrub 2-4 (-5) m tall and 10 cm in diameter with slender, spreading branches, more or less spiny with thorns about 2.5 cm long. The bark is removable in longitudinal strips exposing the white hardwood underneath. An important distinguishing characteristic is that shoots and young branches are clothed with very attractive white silvery scales (lepidote), but which disappear with the rains. Leaves in clusters, elliptic to ovate-oblong, 4-8 cm long and 1-2 (-2.5) cm wide, upper surface sparsely white and covered with small scaly leaves (lepidote), lower surface densely white lepidote, apex acute to sometimes obtuse, petioles 0.5-1 cm long, densely white lepidote. Fragrant flowers appear in bunches of 1-7 in axillary umbels, white to light yellow, 8-9 mm long and 7 mm in diameter, perianth densely scaled, four-lobed;androecium comprising 4 stamens, very small, attached to the mouth of the corolla tube;gynoecium, simple, with one pistil, its average length being 7 mm, pedicels 3-6 (-8) mm long, elongating up to 12 mm long in fruit;hypanthium slender, gradually narrowed at base, 5-7 mm long;calyx lobes narrowly ovate, ca 3-5 mm long. Fruits, ovoid to globose, 3-9 mm long and 5 mm broad;epicarp, thin, covering the whole fruit;mesocarp, pulpy and juicy;pedicel, 5-6 mm long;freshly picked fruits, coral pink, seeds, 7-8 mm long and 2-3 mm in diameter, saffron yellow and approximately 26 mg in weight. Adapted from PIER (2008) and Parmar and Kaushal (1982).