Ziziphus mucronata subsp. mucronata stem tip

This stem-tip growth of Ziziphus mucronata subsp. mucronata is bright and shiny on the young leaves, dull on the compactly clustered buds emerging from the leaf axils.

The leaves change their concave shapes to convex as they swing out from the developing clump at the stem tip. The leaf stalks seen here are grooved.

The old grey stem from which it all grows is gnarled and woody, contrasting against the young green one with its covering of tiny grey and reddish hairs.

The spines are still pale creamy green in the photo, similar to the leaf stalks. They may not be so easy to see.