Gunnera perpensa leaf veins

Up close, the Gunnera perpensa plant displays much vein branching on its soft, somewhat membranous leaves. The veins, sunken on the upper surfaces, radiate from the leaf bases without clear separation in size between large and small ones. They progressively decrease in size and length like tributary rich river systems.

The leaf bases are here elaborately lobed, the lobes erectly together as if in respectful namaste greeting. The lobes may also be smaller and not touching. The leaf margins are minutely and roughly toothed.

Holes in the blades indicate contributions to the diets of small beasties that fortunately don’t dine here in large numbers at present. This may be the reason for the respectful greeting, although plant custom and theology are closed books to humans (Pooley, 1998; Moriarty, 1997; Van Wyk and Malan, 1997; iNaturalist).