Tetragonia fruticosa leaves

Creeping stem parts of Tetragonia fruticosa are here covered in old, big as well as new, small leaves. The new leaf clusters are the tips of new stems emerging from old leaf axils. In this way the plant increases its impact as a groundcover and a soil stabiliser.

The leaves all follow the species way of curving up to their tips and down along the lateral margins. The pale midribs are conspicuous in the lower part of the leaves, about invisible higher up. There are small water cells rather than hairs on the soft green surfaces (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Manning, 2007; iNaturalist).