Diospyros natalensis leaves

The leaves of Diospyros natalensis are alternate, borne in one plane, often nearly horizontally, on short petioles. Leaf shape is ovate or elliptic with entire margins tapering to a rounded tip and also tapering to the base. The upper leaf surface is glossy and dark green; as far as veining is concerned only the leaf midrib clearly visible. The lower surface is pale, showing also the lateral and net-veining in darker green lines. Only the young leaves are hairy.

The photo was taken in the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden in Gauteng on the West Rand (Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997; Coates Palgrave, 2002).