Millettia grandis leaves

The leaves of Millettia grandis, in picture dark green and shiny, are compound or imparipinnate. Three to seven pairs of leaflets, as well as a terminal one grow from the stiff rachis. Leaf petioles and leaflet petiolules are short, leafy stipules present at leaf bases.

The leaflet shape is oblong to lanceolate, the tip tapering to an acute point, the base also tapering. Leaflet dimensions are 2 cm to 6,5 cm by 0,5 cm to 2 cm; the leaf becoming up to 25 cm long.

Evenly spaced, parallel and nearly straight lateral veins ascend from the midrib to the margin, red on young leaflets. Leaflet margins are entire.

Silky hairs grow on the lower surfaces of the leaflets. New leaf growth is dark, reddish brown (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Pooley, 1993; www.plantzafrica.com).