Penaea cneorum stems

This Penaea cneorum shrublet seen in the Salmonsdam Nature Reserve during November has erect stems branched at different levels. They bear leaves only on their upper parts, arranged in decussate pairs, the consecutive opposite pairs at right angles to the adjacent pairs. The lower bare branches appear pale brown to grey and slightly rough from markings where earlier leaves have dropped off.

The neat alignment of the four ranks of the leaves on each upper stem would please drill instructors in the military no end. The stiff, leathery, about stalkless leaves are narrowly elliptic to heart-shaped with entire margins, sometimes lateral lobes near the leaf bases and rounded tips. A leaf is about 10 mm long and 5 mm wide (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2007; iNaturalist).