The old, short-stalked Phylica lachneaeoides leaves are smooth, slightly curved up and dull green to dark green, until they turn yellow and banana-like before dropping off. The lateral margins are rolled under and the tip bears a short, pointed protrusion or mucro. Leaf length is about 5 mm.

The leaves are more scattered than alternate on the still leaf-bearing, brown stems. These stems darken with age from their initial yellowish, later to become grey when leaves are long gone from them.

These bushes rarely appear dense with foliage and branches (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist).