Leaf Morphology



Leaf Shapes

Circular
(Orbicular)

Blunt tip
(Obtuse)

Oval
(Elliptic)

Egg - wide at base
(Ovate)

Egg - point at base
(Obovate)

Squared off
(Truncate)

Heart - stem in point
(Obcordate)

Heart - stem in cleft
(Cordate)

Triangle
(Deltoid)

Diamond
(Rhomboid)

Basal Lobes
(Hastate)

Pointed with barbed base
(Spear)

Kidney
(Reniform)

Fan
(Flabellate)

Spoon
(Spatulate)

Wedge
(Cuneate)

Sickle
(Falcate)

Spine like tip
(Aristate)

Tapered to point
(Acuminate)

Pointed both ends
(Lanceolate)

Elongated
(Linear)

Awl
(Subulate)

Needle
(Acicular)


Deep opposite lobes
(Pinnatisect)

Hand
(Palmate)

Deeply indented
(Lobed)

Finger-like lobes
(Digitate)

Divided lateral lobes
(Pedate)

Stem in centre of round leaf
(Peltate)


Leaf Cross Section

Flat

Convex

Concave

Folded

Boat

Involute

Elliptical

Cylindrical


Leaf Arrangements

Single leaf
(Unifoliate)

One-one
(Alternate)

Stem piercing leaf
(Perfoliate)

Sets of rings
(Whorled)

Tight rings
(Spiral / Rosette)

From ground
(Basal)

Pairs
(Opposite)

Opposite - odd end
(Odd Pinnate)

Opposite - even end
(Even Pinnate)

Multiple Pairs
(Bipinnate)

Three leaves
(Trifoliate)

Multiple Trifoliates
(Tripinnate)


Leaf Margins

Smooth
(Entire)

Fine Hairs
(Ciliate)

Rounded teeth
(Crenate)

'Symmetrical teeth
(Dentate)

Fine Symmetrical teeth
(Denticulate)

Sharp stiff points
(Spiny)

Forward Pointing teeth
(Serrate)

Fine Serated teeth
(Serrulate)

Sub-teeth Serrated
(Doubly Serrate)

Wave-like indentations
(Sinuate)

Wide Waves
(Undulate)

Indented Waves
(Lobate)


Leaf Veins

Parallel

Mostly along axis (Longitudinal)

Paired opposite (Pinnate)

Bending towards apex (Arcuate)

Diverging from a point (Palmate)

Veins radiating from centre (Rotate)

Branching symmetrically in pairs (Dichotomous)

Small veins connecting large (Cross-Venulate)

Network (Reticulate)