Leaves

o Blade A thin, flattened green

structure.
o Leaf stalk or Petiole
o A cylindrical or flattened
narrow structure which
supports and holds the
blade upright.
o Provides maximum
exposure of the blade to
sunlight.
o Serves for Conduction.
o With petiole Petiolate
o Without a petiole Sessile.
In some monocots
Petiole is lacking
The blade is supported
by a flattened
structure called the
Leaf sheath, which
clasps the stem.
Outgrowths at the
junction of the sheath
and blade may be
preset and are
collectively referred to
as the Ligule.
Performs as a
protection function of
preventing water and
dirt from accumulating
b/w the sheath and the
stem.
o Stipule a pair of
appendage or outgrowth at
the base of some
dicotyledonous leaves.
o With stipule
Stipulate.
o Without stipule
Exstipulate.
Leaf Variations
Simple leaf one lamina
o Petiole of a leaf is
directly attached to
the stem.

Compound leaf blade is

divided into individual
plants/
o Parts: Petiole, Leaflet
(individual lamina),
Petiolule (Stalk of a
leaflet), and Rachis
(Extension of petiole)

Pinnately compound leaf

o Leaflets are attached
to a rachis, which is an
extension of the
petiole.
Simple pinnately
compound leaf a
single rachis to which
leaflets are attached.
Bipinnately compound
leaf
First rachis or
primary rachis
branches into
secondary
rachises where
the leaflets are
attached.
Tripinnately compound
leaf
There are
rachises of the
first, second and
third order.
Palmately compound leaf
o Leaflets radiate from
the upper end or tip of
the leaf stalk. From the
central rachis.
o Unifoliate, bifoliate,
trifoliate, quadrifoliate,
etc.
Venation of leaves.
Netted leaf venation
the veins branch

profusely and form a

network over the
blade.
o Commonly found
in dicots.
Pinnately netted
primart veins arise
from the midrib &
subdivide in all
directions throughout
the blade.
Palmately netted
Several principal veins
arise from the tip of
the petiole (base) and
fanlike through the
blade.
o The principal
veins produce
smaller veins
that from a
network.
Radiately netted
primary veins from the
tip of petiole at center
of lamina.
Parallel venation monocots
-Either parallel to the midrib or
at acute or right angles to the
midrib.
a) Basal parallel parallel veins
to the midrib.
b) Radial parallel parallel veins
form acute angle to the midrib.
c) Costal parallel parallel veins
form right angle the midrib.

Phyllotaxy
- The system of leaf arrangement
on the stem.
A) Alternate or spiral only one
leaf develops at each node.
B) Opposite two leaves develop
opposite each other at a node.
C) Whorled or Verticillate Three
or more leaves develop equidistantly
around the node.
D) Fasciculate Two or more
leaves develop at only one side of
the node.
Internal structure of the leaf
1) Epidermis has both cutin and
stomata. Trichomes maybe present,
with waxes
- Protection from
microorganisms, loss of water and
herbivores.
2) Mesophyll between the leaf
epidermis
i) Dicot: Palisade
chlorenchyma tubular compactly
arranged with chloroplasts.
ii) Veins xylem upper,
phloem lower, fiber sheath/ bundle
sheath.
iii) Grypts in some 0
minimize air movements water
diffusion has trichomes and stomata.
- Types of mesophyll
1) Dorsiventral or bifacial/