This small Othonna quinquedentata plant shows healthy leaves, suggesting the baboon cabbage vernacular name to have merit. At first glance one might feel that tridentata would have been a more appropriate specific name, but closer inspection here reveals two tiny additional teeth just above the prominent lateral ones.

The leaf base is well rounded, while above the teeth the entire leaf margin is almost straight to the apical tooth. Purplish to pink marginal colouring is more prevalent nearer the leaf tip where it may spread onto the glaucous leaf surface.

The whitish lower half of the leaf midrib is broad and curving or jagged, like a mini-thunderbolt. This conspicuous midrib peters out well before reaching the margin, as do the well-spaced lateral veins that curve inwards to the leaf tip. Leaves are hairless, appearing fleshy to rubbery (Bean and Johns, 2005; Manning, 2007).