Vachellia gerrardii subsp. gerrardii leaves and thorns

The leaves of Vachellia gerrardii subsp. gerrardii are borne on small woody cushions clustered along the branches. The bipinnate leaf structure comprises five to twelve pinnae spreading from the hairy central rachis. Each pinna carries up to 28 pairs of tiny pinnules, the closely spaced green leaflets with their hairy margins. There is usually a gland visible on the leaf stalk or petiole.

This subspecies resembles V. karroo (hairless leaflets) and V. nilotica (straight pods). The leaves are smaller than those of V. robusta and V. grandicornuta that also grow their leaves on woody cushions (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Carr, 1976).