The leaves of Catha edulis may be pale without the red petiole and upper stem colouring sometimes seen. The tree is unarmed, bearing no spines, while interpetiolar stipules are present at the base of the leaf pairs. When these stipules drop off, scars remain that are similar to those on plants of the Rubiaceae (coffee) family (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002).