Schotia brachypetala discoloured leaflets

Although the weathered Schotia brachypetala leaf part in picture has a sickly colour here in Hermanus, far from the tree’s natural distribution, it shows the leaflet shape and grooving of the rachis that connects the leaf parts. The leaflets in picture are opposite, on some trees sub-opposite, both forms may be present on the same tree.

There are very narrow, green wings visible between the nodes on the sides of the cream-coloured rachis. These leaflets have no petiolules, stalks on the leaflets, although they may be present in the species, up to about 2 mm long.

The tree is evergreen in Hermanus where there is winter rain, usually briefly deciduous in its natural habitat in the summer rainfall region (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Pooley, 1993).