Erica cerinthoides leaves

Erica cerinthoides leaves are densest at stem-tips where stem elongation will still space them.

Inspection of the arrangement of leaves on E. cerinthoides stems divulges features of being scattered, spiralled, imbricately overlapping, growing in fours, fives or sixes, as well as being neatly or nearly stacked in vertical arrays. All these forms and options are partly present or sometimes present in the species growth habit characterised by patterned variety.

In picture the leaves ascend, angled close to the stem when young and spreading with age lower down. Some E. cerinthoides plants have their leaves appressed to the stems.

Leaf darkening sets in soon from yellow-green beginnings. In picture the yellowish leaf colouring lasts longest in the slit on the lower surface between the rolled under margins and at the tips.

Stem darkening from cream to brown also happens (Baker and Oliver, 1967; iNaturalist).