Erythrophysa transvaalensis leaves

The leaves of Erythrophysa transvaalensis are crowded at stem tips, a sign of a deciduous tree upon which leaves only grow on new wood.

The imparipinnate leaves spiral around the stems. Imparipinnate means that the leaf is compound and beside pairs of leaflets (spaced about 1 cm apart along the rachis in this species), there is also a terminal leaflet in every leaf.

The leaf has a longish petiole of up to 2,5 cm, usually without the wings seen further on along the rachis. There are about seven opposite pairs of leaflets along the rachis, all without petiolules or leaflet stalks.

Leaflet shape is narrowly lanceolate, the tip tapering narrowly and the asymmetric base tapering broadly. The leaflet has an entire margin, although some frond-like lobes may grow from its base, seen in the photo. Leaflet dimensions are 2 cm to 7 cm by 0,5 cm to 1 cm. 

Leaflet colour is dark grey-green and shiny. The midrib is conspicuous, like the lateral and smaller venation pale and translucent against the sunlight in the photo. Veins are sunken on the upper leaflet surfaces. Note the similar venation on the small lateral lobes as well as on the rachis wings (Coates Palgrave, 2002; www.plantzafrica.com).