Zygophyllum microcarpum leaves

The leaves of Zygophyllum microcarpum are always paired, as is the case with plants of this genus of more than 40 species.

The narrow blades of the leaflets in picture are thickly succulent and erect or curving upwards. Each leaf-pair has a thick stalk; the two leaflets do not, i.e. they are sessile upon the tip of the leaf stalk. The greyish green leaflet surfaces are covered in short white hairs, as are the leaf stalks and the stems.

The leaflets taper to sharply pointed tips that are sometimes slightly yellowish in colour.

The generic name, Zygophyllum, is derived from the Greek word zygon meaning yoke and phyllon meaning leaf; the leaf-pair forming a yoke-shape recognised by those still familiar with transportation by oxen (Shearing and Van Heerden, 2008; iSpot; Wikipedia).