The leaves of Faurea macnaughtonii are simple and alternate to spirally arranged upon the stems.

They are initially narrowly lanceolate to elliptic in shape, particularly on saplings or coppice shoots, variable when older between broadly elliptic to obovate, especially in the crown of the tree where the leaves tend to be shorter. Both the leaf base and tip taper, the leaf margins being entire and wavy. The leaf midrib is pale and conspicuous, lateral veins much less so; they tend to branch before they (nearly) reach the margins or become obscure.

Leaf surfaces are glabrous, somewhat glossy and thinly leathery. Their colour is dark green above and pale on the lower surface, brightly green at stem tips when young. Leaves become 12 cm long and 3 cm wide, the petioles 1 cm.

Young stems and petioles may be red (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002; Pooley, 1983).