Metarungia longistrobus leaves

    Metarungia longistrobus leaves

    The opposite leaves of Metarungia longistrobus are lance-shaped or elliptic, tapering to acutely pointed tips and to the base. The blades are grey-green to dark green above, soft textured and later glossy in older leaves; paler green to white below. They are densely hairy when young, losing all the hairs on the upper surface and most of them on the lower one as they mature.

    The conspicuous midrib and in-curving lateral veins are recessed on the upper leaf surface. The margins are entire, sometimes wavy. The leaves become about 8 cm to 20 cm long and 2,5 cm to 7 cm wide. The petiole is from 5 mm to 15 mm long with leaf-like bracts at its base (Schmidt, et al, 2002; Onderstall, 1994; iNaturalist; http://pza.sanbi.org).