Gardenia thunbergia leaves

Uneven though entire, the margins of these Gardenia thunbergia leaves show little waviness. Their upper, dark green surfaces are glossy and hairless. The tapering of leaf bases into the petioles and the way the cream leaf midrib continues into the petiole are notable.

Bulging domatia in the axils of some lateral veins are conspicuous next to the midribs. Leaf whorls are concentrated at the tips of the short branchlets; dropped off lower down, not to be replaced unless a new branchlet grows. The visible stems are pale grey and smooth (Coates Palgrave, 2002).