Polygala myrtifolia var. pinifolia leaves

    Polygala myrtifolia var. pinifolia leaves
    Author: Ivan Lätti
    Photographer: Thabo Maphisa

    The leaves of Polygala myrtifolia var. pinifolia are spaced alternately and borne erectly on the wispy yellow upper branches that are nearly hairless. Leaves tend to drop off from the older branches, creating an appearance of leaf crowding towards branch tips. Leaf shape is oblong to linear, tapering at both ends and the margins are rolled under.

    There is a central, longitudinal indentation on the lower leaf surface, to be expected between the revolute (curved back) margins. Leaf colour is blue-green, the young leaves at the stem tips yellowish green in the photo. 

    The petioles are short or nonexistent (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; JSTOR).

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