Variant: leafy

·    Subvariants (2+):

o A. Full:

§ A 4-component – long / “rectangular”, quadripartite glyph:

·      Element #1: Bracket (can be rounder, almost 3/4 circle).

·      Element #2: Washer with optional reinforcement on the side adjoining Element £3.

·      Element #3: Oval with reinforcement on the end adjoining Element 4 (alternatively: bold bracket).

·      Element #4: tri-foliate element:

o    Rather “stubby” leaves.

o    Often with spine.

§ Bonn recognizes a sub-subvariant of “A” (0068tf) where the “washer” (element #2) is covered by a main sign, leaving the “bracket and the leaves” (elements #3 and #4) to stick out one side and the “end bracket” (element #1) to stick out from either end of the main sign.

o B. Reduced:

§ A 3-component – long / “rectangular”, tripartite glyph.

§ It resembles the full (4-component) subvariant but without the first component (element #1). “First” being the bottom component of the 4-component subvariant when the leaves are pointing up and being the leftmost component of the 4-component subvariant when the leaves are pointing right.

§ Both MHD and Bonn recognize this as a well-known subvariant, to the extent of giving it as one of the examples – MHD.3M7.4 and 0068ta, respectively. MHD with the same 3-character code as the full form, Bonn with the same numerical code, but with a different 2-character suffix.

§ Both MHD and Bonn recognize a sub-subvariant of “B” where the “washer” (element #2) is covered by a main sign, leaving the “bracket and the leaves” (elements #3 and #4) to stick out one side (which would usually be the top or the right) – MHD.3M7.2                    and 0068tt, respectively.

·     Do not confuse tz’a with the visually similar SAK (particularly similar in the reduced / 3-component subvariant of t’za):

o SAK has three components: a washer, a bracket, and 2 or 3 “leaves”.

o Usually, tz’a has four components: a bracket, a washer, a bracket, and (always) 3 “leaves”. When the first (“outside”/“bottom”) bracket is missing, it looks rather like SAK. In most cases, context can be used to determine which of the two is intended.

o In any case, the “leaves” of tz’a are more pointed, and the “leaves” of SAK are more rounded.

§ The “leaves” of SAK tend to be protected feelers (which could be viewed as leaves with pointed tips, but “curled in” at the end, leaving the pointed tip “inside” the glyph.

§ The “leaves” of tz’a tend to be leaves with pointed tips and a spine.

Though it can be a grey area between these two extremes.