Pteronia staehelinoides leaves

These leaves of Pteronia staehelinoides show healthy growth in autumn; there must already have been some unseasonal early rain.

Fringes of ciliate toothing (or hefty hairs) occur on the leaf keels as well as upon the margins. Leaves are stalkless, the opposite pairs almost joined around the stem in picture. The thickly fleshy leaves are concave on their upper surfaces, showing a fold along the midrib away from the leaf tip.

Leaves have already dropped off quite near to the stem tip here, leaving distinct markings upon the young bare upper stem (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; iSpot).