Searsia dissecta leaves

The three leaflets of the trifoliolate Searsia dissecta leaf are narrowly obovate to triangular.

The leaflet base is wedge-shaped, narrowly tapering and sometimes curved with entire margins. There are about three marginal teeth around the broadest part of the blade on either side of its tip. This toothing is sometimes step-wise and angular, starting on one side slightly before the other.

The flat to concave blade is dark green on top, velvety white below. The ascending lateral veins are sometimes conspicuous and pale cream, recessed on the upper surface while prominent on the velvety lower one.

There are no leaflet petiolules, while the petioles are long and sometimes grooved, giving the plant its common name of langsteelkorentebos (long stem currant bush). The petiole colours range from dull grey-green to orange or reddish.

On top of the leaf, at its base where the three leaflets meet and petiolules would have started, there is a characteristic thickened orange spot.

The plant may be deciduous (Manning and Goldblatt, 1997; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist).