Erythrina humeana leaves

The variable leaves of Erythrina humeana are trifoliolate, i.e. compound, each comprising three leaflets. This leaf structure is shared with other members of the Erythrina genus.

The distinctively triangular leaflets are hollowed out concavely on its sides, three-lobed with long and slender, tapering tips. The leaflet base is rounded, its margin entire. Leaflet dimensions are about 9 cm long and 8 cm wide, but large ones up to 13 cm by 12 cm do occur.

The main veins, petioles and petiolules (stalks of individual leaflets), are armed with hard prickles. Similar prickles are found on the smooth grey bark of the stems. Leaflets are hairless, either thinly textured or leathery, sometimes wavy. Leaf colour is fresh green to dark olive green above, and shiny pale green below. There are small, pale green glands at the bases of the leaflet stalks, the petiolules (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997; Pooley, 1993).