Leaf

•Flat lateral outgrowths

• From stem nodes
• Functions- Photosynthesis, transpiration, gas exchange
• arise from leaf primordium
• exogenous origin
• possess axillary bud in the axil\
• heterophylly (two types of leaf in the same plant) – Limnophila
heterophylla, Coriander
• Scale leaves to very large size
• circular, oval, linear, intermediate shapes seen
PARTS OF DICOT LEAF
1. Leaf Base(Hypopodium) – attachment part
•leaf base swollen –pulvinate ( nyctinasty)
•pair of leafy lateral
outgrowths from leaf base – stipule
•Leaf with stipule- stipulate (Ixora)
• leaf without stipule – exstipulate (Mangifera)
•Stipules protect young leaf
2. Leaf Stalk – connection of lamina with base
* simple leaf stalk – petiole
* compound leaf stalk – rachis
* leaf without stalk – sessile (Calotropis)
* leaf with petiole – petiolate (Hibiscus)
* leaf with winged petiole - Citrus
3. Leaf Lamina (leaf blade) – green, thin expanded part
* photosynthesis, transpiration & respiration
* Tip of leaf – leaf apex
* border of leaf – margin
* petiole extension thru’ lamina – midrib
* branches from midrib – veins branch to veinlets
* midrib, vein, veinlets- structural framework, supply of food,
water, minerals
* Leaf lamina dorsiventral
 PARTS OF MONOCOT LEAF
•3 parts- leaf base, petiole, lamina
• Leaf base sheathing
• petiole absent (grasses)
• Petiole as Rachis (palms)
• Pair of outgrowths b/w
leaf base & petiole – ligule (grass)
• leaf lamina – Isobilateral
• Leaf venation - Parallel
 VENATION

•Pattern of arrangement of veins in the leaf blade

• Dicots – Reticulate (anastomosing network of veins & veinlets)
• Monocots – Parallel (Horizontal/ longitudinal) veins
• Exceptions – Calophyllum, Alstonia, Eryngium (dicots) – Parallel
• Aroids, Dioscorea (Monocots) – reticulate
 Types of leaves

•Based on number of lamina, or incision of lamina two

types
• 1. Simple leaves – single lamina, entire or incised (not
reaching the petiole
2. Compound Leaves: 2 types – Pinnately compound, Palmately
Compound
* Pinnately compound – leaflets arranged on both sides of rachis
 Unipinnate/ simple pinnate – single rachis present
* paripinnate – leaflets paired at tip (Tamarindus)
* leaflets unpaired at tip (Rosa)
 Bipinnate – primary rachis divided to sec. rachis/ rachillawith
leaflets (Mimosa)
 Tripinnate – primary rachis- sec. rachis- tertiary rachis bearing
leaflets (Moringa)
 Decompound – tertiary rachi divide further (coriander)
* Palmately Compound:
leaflets radiate from tip of rachis
 Unifoliate – palmately compound with only one leaflet (Citrus)
 Bifoliate – Two terminal leaflets (Bignonia)
 Trifoliate – three terminal leaflets (Trigonella)
 Quadrifoliate – Four terminal leaflets (marsilea)
 Multifoliate – more than four ( Tapioca)
 SHAPE OF LEAF LAMINA
•Linear – Long ( grasses)

• Lanceolate - broad near stalk,

long & tapering at ends
(Bamboosa)

• Oblanceolate – lamina lanceolate,

but broad part near apex (Calamus)

• Elliptical – lamina tapering at

ends, broad in middle (Vinca)

• Oblong – lamina 2 0r 3 times long

as broad, ends rounded (plantain)
•Ovate – Lamina egg shaped (banyan)
• Obovate – lamina inversely ovate
(Tectona)
• Orbicular/ rotund – lamina
circular(Lotus)
• Cordate – lamina heart shaped
(thespesia)
• obcordate – leaflets inversely heart
shaped (Oxalis)
• Reniform – Lamina is kidney shaped
(Centella)
• Cuneate – leaf blade broadest beyond
the middle & tapering down ( Oxalis)
• deltoid- lamina inversely cuneate
(abutilon)
• Sagittate- Arrow shaped ( Arum)
•
•Falcate- sickle shaped
(Acacia)
•Oblique- Right and left
halves not symmetrical
• Pinnatifid - Lamina cut
half way to midrib to pinnate
lobes (Sphaeranthes)
• Lyrate – Lyre shaped with
terminal large & small
lateral lobes (Mustard)
• Acicular – Needle shaped
(Allium)
•Lorate – strap shaped
(Vallisnaria)
•Entire – Margin smooth (Mangifera) LEAF MARGIN

• Serrate – toothed (Balsam)

• Dentate – toothed, sharp (Hibiscus)

• Crenate-rounded forward pointing

teeth (bryophyllum)

•undulate/Sinuate- wavy (polyalthia)

• Spiny – margin with spines(aloe)

• Glandular-margin with sticky gland

hair ( Jatropha)

• Ciliate – Margin with cilia like

hairs(Cleome)
•Fid/ Fidus – lamina divided to
lobes

* Pinnately fid – radish

* Palmately fid – Papaya

• Sectile- margin extend to midrib

* Pinnatisect-ipomoea
* Palmatisect - Tapioca
•Acute – tip pointed (Mangifera) LEAF APEX

•Acuminate ( Caudate) – pointing

with very long tail (Ficus)

• Obtuse - Blunt tip (Jackfruit tree)

• Cuspidate - leaf tip spine

(pineapple)

• Mucronate – round apex, with

pointed tip (Caesalpinia)

• Retuse – Blunted with shallow

notch (Calophyllum)

• Emarginate – leaf tip with deep

notch(Bauhinia)
 Leaf surface with hairs - Indumentum LEAF SURFACE
* Glabrous – smooth & shiny
(Ficus)

•Pubescent – surface with short &

soft hairs(Hibiscus)

• Villous – covered by soft & long

hairs (F. villosa)

• Hispid – stiff hairs covered

(Spermacoce)

• Scabrous – rough suface, stiff

hairs (Lantana)

• tomentose – matted hairs (

Gauzema)
•Glandular – Surface with sticky,
glandular hairs (Jatropha)

• Gland dotted – translucent dots

(Citrus)

• Strigose – sharp, stiff swollen

hairs cover (Mertensia)

• Sericeous – silky sheen, silky

hairs (Gingelly)
 PHYLLOTAXY
•Pattern of leaf arrangement on stem
• Provide sufficient light to leaves
• foliage leaf arranged in bud – prefoliation
• leaf folding in bud –Ptyxis
• leaf within bud – vernation
• 2 types of phyllotaxy – 1) RADICAL 2) CAULINE
• RADICAL – Leaves in cluster at top of root on stem – Radish
• CAULINE – Leaves on stem with nodes & internodes – Hibiscus
 CAULINE

Alternate Whorled
(Leaves on Opposite (3 or more
alternate rows, 1 ((leaf pairs leaves aise at
at each node) arranged a node as a
1. distichous
oppositely on whorl.
(Anona) each node) (Nerium,
2. pentastichous 1. Opposite Alstonia)
(spiral) (Hibiscus) decussate (Ixora)
2. Opposite
superposed
(Calotropis)
 Alternate distichous & Pentastichous

Opposite decussate Opp. Superposed Whorled

 LEAF MODIFICATIONS

•Leaf tendrils – long, spirally coiled,

help weak stemmed plants to climb
• Pisum terminal leaflets modified
• Gloriosa leaf tips
• Lathyrus entire leaves
• Nepenthes petioles
• Clematis modified rachillae.
•Leaf hooks – hook like
modifications
• for clinging
• in weakstemmed plants
• Bignonia unguis-cati, 3
terminal leaflets as cat-claw like
hooks.

• Leaf spines – pointed

structures
• xerophytic plants
• Opuntia minute leaves of
axillary bud modified (original
leaves as scale leaves)
• Ananas, Agave leaf margins
• defence, protection & control
transpiration.
•Leaf Scales – thin, stalkless,
membranous
• protects axillary buds in axils
• Allium, fleshy & dry scale leaves
• fleshy store water, mucilage & food

•Pitcher – flask shaped modification of

leaf lamina
• insectivorous plants
• mouth covered – operculum (leaf tip)
• basal part of petiole – green,
photosynthetic
• upper petiole – coiled, tendril like
• sugary secretion at mouth rim – slippery
• insects fall in
• gets digested by enzymes
• enzyme secretion & absortion of
digested food by pitcher wall
•Phyllode – flat, leaflike, green,
photosynthetic
• petiole or rachis modification
• xerophytic adaptation
• reduce transpiration
• Acacia, Parkinsonia
• normal leaf falls off early
• petiole /rachis develops as
phyllode
FUNCTIONS OF LEAF
•Photosynthesis - chloroplast
• Gas exchange - stomata
• Transpiration - stomata
• storage of food & water- fleshy leaves
• Veg. propagation- adv. buds
• defence & protection - spines
• support for climbing – tendrils & hooks
• food capture - Pitcher