Gymnosporia mossambicensis lower stems

The stem base of Gymnosporia mossambicensis is much-branched, the stems slender in the photo. The bark is smooth and grey-brown in colour on old stems.

Young branches are reddish and hairless with pale lenticels. The slender young spines are red-brown, up to 8 cm long (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Pooley, 1993; http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw).