Senegalia welwitschii subsp. delagoensis leaves

The bipinnate (twice compound) leaves of Senegalia welwitschii subsp. delagoensis have two to five pairs of pinnae on a rachis of 1 cm to 6 cm long. Each pinna bears from three to nine pairs of leaflets.

The fairly large leaflets compared to those of thorn trees in general are elliptic to ovate in shape with rounded to slightly notched tip and almost symmetric, rounded base. Leaflet dimensions are 3 mm to 15 mm long and from 3 mm to 11 mm wide. There may be a gland between the top pair of pinnae.

This tree resembles S. burkei, the black monkey thorn, but its leaves, leaf stalks, flower calyces and branch tips are hairless while velvety in S. burkei. The leaflets of S. welwitschii subsp. delagoensis are also brighter green, appearing to be more sparsely represented upon its branchlets (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002; Codd, 1951; iNaturalist).