Ehretia rigida spur-branchlets

The (deciduous) leaves of the puzzle bush, Ehretia rigida subsp. nervifolia, may be crowded at the ends of rigid spur-branchlets as seen here, or spread along its long young twigs. Note the sharp tapering of the spur-branches of this plant.

The leaves are obovate to broadly elliptic and yellowish green when young or dark green as in the photo. Leaf tips taper broadly or are rounded. Three pairs of lateral veins occur on the leaves, invisible on this plant.

There are sometimes hairy domatia on the leaves in the angles between the main lateral veins and the leaf midribs. Otherwise leaves are hairless, apart from marginal bristles that may appear like serration (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997).