Ficus polita leaves

The alternate leaves of Ficus polita grow on slender petioles from 2 cm to 10 cm in length. These leaf stalks are pale green upon the reddish, young, upper branchlets. Stipules next to the leaf stalks are short-lived.

The leaf shape is broadly ovate. The leaf base is rounded to heart-shaped, the tip attenuating abruptly and often twisting, the margin entire. The midrib is conspicuous and cream coloured upon the dull green surface in the photo, as are the ascending lateral veins that do not reach the margin, but connect via a meandering vein, a short distance inside the margin. Some net-veining is visible.

The leaves usually dark green and glossy, appear dull green and without shine here. Lower leaf surfaces are paler than above. Leaf dimensions are from 6 cm to 15 cm long by 4 cm to 10 cm wide (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Pooley, 1993).