Passerina obtusifolia seen from above

The leaves of Passerina obtusifolia, sometimes called the Karoo gonna, are ericoid, smooth and green, ascending upon stems that are white with velvety hairs. The leaf shape is oblong, appearing cylindrical, typically 5 mm long and 1 mm wide.

The arrangement of leaves up the stems is more or less decussate, i.e. positioned opposite each other with each successive pair perpendicular to the adjacent pairs, creating four vertical ranks (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iSpot).