Metalasia densa leaf shapes

Metalasia densa leaves have convex lower surfaces, dark green and slightly hairy, with margins rolled in upon the woolly upper side. The channelled upper surfaces in picture, mostly hiding their white woolliness, are slightly visible courtesy of the variable twist in some of the short leaf petioles.

The leaf-shape may be obliquely obovate, elliptic or oblong. The leaves are spaced and scattered or maybe spiralling on the slightly rough, grey-brown stem.

Clusters of about six smaller leaves appear over time in the axil above a single older leaf, filling in the spaces as the foliage upon upper stems becomes dense (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Manning, 2007; iSpot).