Pelargonium exstipulatum leaves

The simple leaves of Pelargonium exstipulatum are alternate or opposite and stalked. The plant is evergreen, in its case mostly evergrey, although greener specimens than the one in picture exist. The leaves exude a pleasant fragrance, strongly when crushed.

The dull pinkish upper stems are soft, herbaceous and finely hairy. The lower stems are soon leafless and eventually woody. The petioles may persist on the stems when the leaves drop off.

The leaf-shape is shallowly lobed at the tip, sometimes deeply, while wedge-shaped at the base. The velvety grey blade is pleated from sunken veins radiating from the base into the rounded to angularly tipped lobes. The leaf becomes 1,5 cm long and equally wide.

The specific name, exstipulatum, refers to the absence of leaf stipules in this species (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; http://pza.sanbi.org).