Xymalos monospora, commonly known as lemonwood, is a medium to large tree reach reaching heights around 25 m (SA Tree List No. 111). This is a monotypic species, the only of its genus.
The Afrikaans common name is lemoenhout (orange wood), another citrus species. Lemonwood is part of the Monomiaceae family and not citrus or Rutaceae, but it does produce a citrus scent from crushed leaves.
The bark is conspicuously marked, greyish brown with irregularly shaped worm-like patterns scattered along the trunk where flaking has occurred.
The leaves are sub-opposite or opposite, rarely alternate, elliptic to ovate and dark green with gland dots on the surface. The indented midrib and lateral veins create a peculiarly quilted appearance. The leaf apex tapers, the base does as well and the margin is irregularly toothed.
The small yellow flowers grow in short axillary spikes in winter and spring. The tree is dioecious, male tree flowers have clusters of stamens, female ones ovaries.
The fruit is an ellipsoid fleshy drupe, seen ripening on the tree in summer and autumn, although the green ones may remain there for nearly a year.
The species distribution ranges in a broad swathe across the east of South Africa, from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal to mainly the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. It is also found in much of Africa, as far as Cameroon and Sudan.
The habitat is evergreen and montane forests. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002; Wikipedia; http://redlist.sanbi.org).