Pelargonium acetosum leaves

The simple, long-stalked leaves of Pelargonium acetosum are here shown among dry flower stalks persisting.

The blades are smooth, fleshy and blue-grey to green-grey. The leaf-shape is rounded with shallow, scalloped to angular lobes radiating from the leaf-base. The wavy blade is turned up in a shallow bowl but for the opening at the base. The margins are faintly red. The leaves are about 6 cm long and 5 cm wide.

The leaves that are sometimes eaten by people are said to have an acid taste, reflected in the Afrikaans name for the plant of suurmalva (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; http://pza.sanbi.org).