Adenium multiflorum leaves

The leaves of Adenium multiflorum seen here in January in the Kruger National Park are dark green and glossy above, paler and dull below. Because the plant is deciduous, fresh leaves emerge annually as new growth and no leaves are present to interfere with the plant’s big event, its spectacular flowering. This causes the stems to become bare, only brief clusters of leaves sprouting annually at the branch tips.

The leaf-shape is obovate to oblong with entire margins and a notched tip between two rounded bulges. The leaf midribs are conspicuously white in the photo, the lateral veins parallel, ascending slightly and looping forwards, mostly without reaching the margins. Leaf midribs may be tinged pink. The leaves are often wavy, about 10 cm long. The leaves sometimes have petioles, which may become up to 5 mm long (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Onderstall, 1984; www.plantzafrica.com).