Gymnosporia mossambicensis leaves

The thin, hairless leaves of Gymnosporia mossambicensis spiral around the stems or are fascicled upon spur-branchlets. They grow on short petioles, up to 6 mm long, flanked by triangular stipules.

Leaf shape is ovate to elliptic with tapering or attenuating tip and rounded or shallowly lobed base. Leaf dimensions are about 5 cm by 2,5 cm. The leaf margins are variably serrated. The upper leaf surface is shiny, bright to dark green above, paler below. The leaf mostly curves down at its tip and folds in slightly along its pale midrib. Some spaced and ascending lateral veins are just visible near the midrib, but not the margin in the photo.

The long and thin, dark spines look menacing (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Pooley, 1993; http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw).