Portulacaria armiana leaves

The leaves of Portulacaria armiana grow about stalkless in opposite pairs and close together on the thick, sturdy, lower stems of the plant.

The leaf-shape is obovate to rounded, a flat and thickish, fleshy disc tapering to its wedge-shaped or cuneate base. The smooth, waxy leaf surfaces are pale lime-green. Their margins are entire although an occasional, slight leaf-tip notch is to be seen in the photo. There are also several leaves with asymmetrical shapes present. Leaf dimensions are about 5 cm long and 3 cm wide.

The leaves store water as well as reflect heat from their pale surfaces. Both features are vitally important in the terrain where these plants live (Williamson, 2010; Frandsen, 2017; iNaturalist; Wikipedia; http://pza.sanbi.org).