LEAF
• Leaf is green, dissimilar exogenous lateral out growth, which is borne on the node
of stem & its branches
• Their major functions are photosynthesis and transpiration.
• Green leaves of the plants are called foliage leaves while non green are called
scale leaves
• The leaves containing spores or sporangia are called sporophylls.
• Floral appendages like sepals, petals, stamens, carpels are called floral leaves.
• Leaves borne by embryo in the seed are called Cotyledons.
Part of a leaf (Phyllopodium) :
• A leaf is made up of four parts.
(1) Leaf blade or lamina (Epipodium)
(2) Petiole (Mesopodium)
(3) Leaf base (Hypopodium)
(4) Stipule:
(1) Leaf blade or lamina (Epipodium) :
• It is thin, expanded, green and terminal part of the leaf
• which is specialized to perform photosynthesis.
• Lamina bears network of Veins and Vein lets.
• Veins provide rigidity to the leaf base and act as channels of transport for water,
minerals and food materials.
(2) Petiole (Mesopodium) :
• It is a cylindrical part, which bears the Lamina at its tip.
• If the petiole is absent it is termed sessile
• if leaf having petiole it is called petiolate.
• Long thin flexible petiole allow leaf blades to flutter in wind there by cooling the leaf
and bringing fresh air to leaf surface.
(3) Leaf base (Hypopodium) :
• It is the lowest part of leaf by which the leaf is joined to the node of the stem.
• In many legumes it is swollen. The swollen leaf base is called pulvinus.
• Ex: Mimosa pudica (Leguminous plants)
(4) Stipules:
• Leaf base contains two small lateral outgrowths called stipule.
• Leaf with stipules is known as stipulate
• While the leaf without stipules is termed as exstipulate
Types of leaves
Simple leaf: Leaf which may be entire or incised and the incision do not touch the mid rib.
Ex: Banana- Musa paradisiaca
Mango-Mangifera indica
Compound leaf: Leaf blade is incised upto mid rib or petiole thus dividing it into two or
more [Link]: Pea-Pisum sativum,
Compound leaf are of two types
(1) Pinnately compound leaf (2) Palmately Compound leaf
(1) Pinnately compound leaf :
• The leaf lets are borne laterally on an elongated axis called rachis which represents
the midrib of the leave
Ex : Neem -Azadirachta indica
EXTRA INFORMATION
(2) Palmately compound leaf :
• In which the petiole bears leaflets at the tip (attached at a common point) like the
finger of palm
Ex: silk cotton-Ceiba pentandra
.
EXTRA INFORMATION
PHYLLOTAXY
• It is the arrangement of leaves on stem and its branches.
• It is of following types
(i) Alternate/ spiral phyllotaxy
(ii) Opposite phyllotaxy- two types
(a)Opposite Decussate phyllotaxy
(b) Opposite Superposed phyllotaxy
(iii)Whorled phyllotaxy
(i) Alternate /spiral phyllotaxy
• Only one leaf is borne on a node
• The leaves of the adjacent nodes roughly lie towards the opposite sides and
form two alternate rows (distiches) or three (tristichous) or more
(orthostichous) vertical rows of leaves.
Ex: china rose- Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Mustard- Brassica nigra,
Sunflower- Helianthus annuus
(ii) Opposite phyllotaxy
• Two leaves are borne on the opposite sides of a single node.
• It is of two types.
(a) Opposite Decussate: The leaf pair formed at successive nodes is at right angles to
the first one. Ex : Rubber Bush- Calotropis procera
(b) Opposite Superposed: Leaves of the successive nodes lie in the same plane so that
only two rows are formed on the stem.
Ex: Guava- Psidium guajava
Rangoon creeper- Quisqualis indica
(iii) Whorled phyllotaxy
• If more than two leaves develop from a single node.
• Ex: Nerium- Nerium oleander,
Devil tree –Alstonia scholaris
VENATION
• The arrangement of veins and veinlets in the lamina of a leaf is called venation.
• It is of two types: (i) Reticulate venation (ii) Parallel venation
(i) Reticulate venation:
• The veinlets are irregularly distributed in lamina and form a network.
Ex: Dicot plants.
• Reticulate venation is of 2 types
(1) Unicostate Reticulate venation
(2) Multicostate Reticulate venation
(1) Unicostate Reticulate venation: The lamina contains single mid rid.
Ex: Peepal tree-Ficus religiosa
(2) Multicostate Reticulate venation: A number of veins arise from the tip of petiole
and reach either the apex or margins of lamina.
It is of two types
(a) Convergent Multicostate Reticulate venation: The principal veins converge
towards the apex of the lamina.
Ex: Zizyphus jujuba
(b) Divergent Multicostate Reticulate venation: The principal veins diverge towards
the margins. Ex: pumpkin- Cucurbita pepo
(ii) Parallel venation : The veins run parallel to one another and reticulations are
absent.
Ex: Monocot plants.
Parallel venation It is of two types
(1) Unicostate Parallel venation:
• Single principal vein or mid rib that runs from base to the apex of the lamina.
• The lateral veins run parallel to one another without forming network.
Ex: Banana (Musa paradisiaca).
(2)Multicostate Parallel venation: Several principal veins arise from the base of the
lamina.
It is of two types
(a) Convergent Multicostate Parallel venation: The principal veins converge
towards the apex
Ex: Bamboo, Grass.
(b) Divergent Multicostate Parallel venation: The principal veins proceed towards
the margins. Ex: ice apple- borassus flabellifer
MODIFICATIONS OF LEAVES:
Leaf tendrils: The leaves or their portions may become modified into tendrils in various
plants. Tendrils help in climbing,
Eg:Garden pea- Pisum sativum-Upper leaflets
smilax
Leaf spines: In a number of plants, leaves or their parts are modified into spines either to
escape transpiration or for protection
Eg: Opuntia
Aloe vera
Argemone mexicana
Opuntia Aloe Argemone
Phyllode: the leaf or lamina sheds and the petiole modifies into leaf like structure. It also
performs the function of photo synthesis
Eg: Australian acacia -Acacia auriculiformis
horse-bean- Parkinsonia aculeata
Insectivorous Pitcher:
• The leaf-blade is modified into a pitcher-like structure.
• The pitcher is provided with a lid which itself is an outgrowth of the leaf-apex.
• The petiole is modified into a tendrilar structure to hold the pitcher in a vertical
manner
• Living in Nitrogen deficiency soil.
• Eating insect for Nitrogen
Eg:Nephenthes