Leaf shape

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Icon tools.svg

This article has been registered in the quality assurance biology for improvement due to formal or content-related deficiencies . This is done in order to bring the quality of the biology articles to an acceptable level. Please help improve this article! Articles that are not significantly improved can be deleted if necessary.

Read the more detailed information in the minimum requirements for biology articles .

The leaf shape of a leaf , especially the leaf blade , can be very diverse and is important for recognizing the species. This article explains the various terms used to describe leaf features and other planar structures.

For a basic description of the leaf, see leaf (plant) .

Explanations

In brackets are the Germanized terms from the Latin technical language, which are used in slightly modified form, especially in English and other foreign-language specialist literature, but occasionally also in German-language publications. The terms are not completely standardized and are subject to change over time. Your description differs slightly from work to work.

Structure according to stem and attachment to the stem axis

Differentiation by stem

  • Stalked (petiolate): Usually a leaf has a leaf stalk (petiolus), it is then called stalked (petiolate).
  • Sitting (sessile): If it has no stem, the leaf is called sitting (sessile).

Differentiation according to the approach on the stem axis with sessile leaves

Stem encompassing approach

There are again various special cases for the seated leaves:

  • Stalk encompassing (amplexicaul, clasping): The base of the blade encompasses (almost) the entire stem, e.g. B. Cabbage goose thistle ( Sonchus oleraceus ).
  • Half-stem encompassing (semiamplexicaul): The base of the blade reaches around half the stem, e.g. B. Opium poppy ( Papaver somniferum ).
  • Perfoliate: The leaf surrounds the piercing stem closed, e.g. B. the round-leaved rabbit's ear ( Bupleurum rotundifolium ).
  • Connate-perfoliate: two opposite or more whorled leaves are connected at the base, e.g. B. the garden honeysuckle ( Lonicera caprifolium ).
  • Decurrent (winged): The blade continues down the stem like a wing, z. B. in the small-flowered mullein ( Verbascum thapsus ) or in the New Zealand warthog (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides) and in Viola primulifolia .
  • Riding, encompassing (equitant): The leaves are sessile, with, towards the stem axis, a channel-shaped, tubular base. The first includes the stem axis, the subsequent leaves then each include the previous one. E.g. "sword leaf" of the iris .

  • The stem-embracing leaf base of the cabbage goose thistle ( Sonchus oleraceus )

  • Half-stem-embracing leaf base of the opium poppy ( Papaver somniferum )

  • Streaky leaf base in the round-leaved rabbit's ear ( Bupleurum rotundifolium )

  • Overgrown leaves of the garden honeysuckle ( Lonicera caprifolium )

  • Leaves that run down in the donkey thistle ( Onopordum acanthium )

It is also possible to distinguish the inner angle between the leaf axil and the stem axis ; acute <45 °, moderate 45 °, right-angled 90 °.

Plants with leaf sheaths / ligules

Some plants, especially sweet and sour grasses , have open or closed leaf sheaths (sheathing; open, closed sheath), which cover the stem to a certain extent. At the junction between the sheath and the leaf blade there may be a ligule . There are also some that form an ochrea (tute).

Breakdown according to the composition of the blades and the depth of the incisions

The upper leaf consists of a stem (petiolus) and a blade (lamina).

Division into simple and compound sheets

Depending on the width, a further distinction can be made:

  • Single leaf (unifoliate): The blade can be undivided or have incisions of various depths, consists of a surface that is contiguous at least along the leaf spindle ( rachis ). The parts are then called sections.
  • Compound leaf (compound): The blade is divided into several completely separate and stalked sections. These parts - regardless of their size - are called leaflets or pinna (foliolate). The leaflets attach to the leaf spindle (rachis), which corresponds to the midrib of the simple leaf. However, by reducing the leaf blade, only one leaflet can appear (unifoliolate) which looks like a simple leaf. Here the leaflet is separated from the petiole by a joint ( pulvinus ), which corresponds to the reduced leaf blade. B. in Ceratopetalum species. In citrus species, the petiole can also be winged or with phyllodes , or the reduction of the first leaflets is not complete and they appear abnormal.

  • Simple, whole leaf of the quaking aspen

  • Compound leaf of rose

  • Unifoliolates, reduced compound leaf, only one more "leaf"

  • Unifoliolates citrus leaves with a winged petiole

Depth of incisions

  • Undivided, full leaf (whole, entire, undivided): The blade has no deeper cuts. A sawing or perforation can only exist on the edge.
  • Lobed (-lobed, -lobate): the incisions are 20 to 40% of the span half deep.
  • Split (-spaltig, -fid): the incisions are 40 to 60% of the span half deep.
  • Divided (-teilig, -partite): the incisions are 60 to 80% of the span half deep.
  • Cut, cut (-section, -sect): the incisions are 80 to 100% of the span half deep. Even with complete division, the sections of the leaf spindle are wide.
  • Complete separation (compound leaf): the leaflets are attached to the leaf spindle with a narrowed base or stalk.

In the new editions of the excursion florets, the incision depth is divided into fewer gradations. In the excursion flora of Austria , the terms “lobed” (25 to 33%), “split” (33 to 66%) and “cut” (66 to 100%) are used without the use of “divided”, in Rothmaler (2011) the meaning of “split” and “divided” remains the same, the definition of “lobed” is expanded to 20 to 50%, from “cut” to 50 to 100% depth of cut.

In the English-speaking areas there is a slightly different division:

  • lobed: 1/8 to 1/4; 12.5% ​​-25%
  • cleft, fid: 1/4 to 1/2; 25% -50%
  • parted, partite: 1/2 to 3/4; 50% -75%
  • divided, sect: 3/4 to 1; 75% -100%

Structure according to the shape and arrangement of the sections or leaves

Palmate

Palm-shaped = palmat: incisions at one point, the leaf base at the end of the petiole, directed radially.

  • Simple sheet (simple, unifoliate); finger- (palmati-) with incision depths as defined above:
    • palmately lobed (palmatilobate, palmately lobed)
    • palmately cleft (palmatifid, palmately cleft)
    • palmately parted (palmatipartite, palmately parted)
    • palmatisect, palmately divided); Cuts to the bottom; in palms with or without hastula .
      • costapalmat: palm leaves cut in the shape of a hand, with a more or less long “costa” or “midrib” (extended petiole) on top (underneath in the leaf blade).
  • Palmately compound leaf: fingered (multifoliolate) (digitate, palmate) (palmately compound)
    • double, triple fingered (bi-, tripalmate):

Feather-shaped

Pinnately, lobed: arranged in two rows along the leaf spindle.

  • Simple leaf (simple, unifoliate) (pinnate, pinnati-), with incision depths as defined above: lobed, bulbous, pinnate-lobed; with rounded sections separated by rounded incisions.
    • lobed (pinnatilobate, pinnately lobed)
    • pinnatifid, pinnately cleft
    • pinnately parted (pinnatipartit, pinnately parted)
    • pinnatisect, pinnately divided
  • Lyre-shaped (lyrate): feather-shaped with enlarged end section z. B. Barbara's herb ( Barbarea vulgaris ).
  • Shot saw-shaped (runcinate): pinnate-shaped with triangular, pointed sections directed towards the base of the leaf, e.g. B. Cowflower ( Taraxacum ).
  • Comb-shaped (pectinate): regularly pinnate-shaped with densely packed, equally long, very narrow sections.
  • Incised (dissected): With deep, sharp, irregular spikes. Leaves that are cut deeply or repeatedly into many sections.
  • Slashed, torn (laciniate, lacerate): irregularly pinnate-shaped with irregular and narrow sections.

Feathered

Pinnate (pinnate, unipinnate, pinnately compound), compound leaf (compound); with completely separate leaflets (pinnacles, leaflets). In pinnate leaves, the leaf veins branch off to the right and left at different levels along a central vein (rachis, leaf spindle). And the leaflets have no axial buds.

  • pinnate in pairs, or also broken-off pinnate (paripinnate, even-, unipinnate): There are no terminal leaflets , but an end tendril or tip. The feathers do not have to be opposite, the number of feathers even.
    • false or pseudo imparipinnate (pseudo-imparipinnate): Here one of the leaflets of the apical pair is pseudoterminal , it is shifted to the terminal position, so the leaves appear as imparipinnate but are pinnate in pairs. But because the middle artery of the pseudo-terminal leaflet branches off from the rachis in a subterminal position, it is not really terminal. In a truly terminal leaflet, the central vein is the extension of the rachis. As in part with Lansium , Chisocheton or Azadirachta and with Cicer arietinum .
    • pseudo-pinnate (pseudo-pinnate): Here the individual leaves appear as pinnate, but are not, as in Banksia brownii or the individual leaves are arranged like leaflets, but are not, as in Glochidion or Cleistanthus and in Ylang-Ylang .
    • alternately paired pinnate (alterni-paripinnate): The leaflets are not opposite.
    • paired pinnate with end tendril-pinnate: a tendril (pinnate tendril) forms at the end of the rachis.
  • unpaired pinnate (un-, imparipinnate, uni-imparipinnate, odd-pinnate) or pinnate / partial / cleft / lobed: There is an end leaflet or an end segment. The number of leaflets is odd.
    • alternately imparipinnate (alterni-imparipinnate): the leaflets are not opposite.
  • twofold (bifoliolate, geminate, jugate):
    • double twofold (bigeminate, bijugate):
    • triple twofold (tergeminate, trijugate):
  • three-fold (fingered) (ternate, trifoliolate) (ternately compound): with three arranged leaflets, e.g. B. White clover ( Trifolium repens ); Some of the floras distinguish between leaves with three fingers (with leaflets of equal length) (pinnate-ternate) and leaves with three fingers (with longer stalked or articulated central leaflets) (palmate-ternate).
    • double threefold (biternately compound): with three arranged, again threefold leaflets.
    • triple triple (triternate):
  • fourfold (quadrifoliolate, tetramerous):
  • fingered: see hand-shaped
  • parted, in tufts, needle-like (fascicled):
  • interrupted pinnate: with regularly or irregularly alternating larger and smaller pinnate z. B. Goose cinquefoil ( Potentilla anserina ).
  • Foot-shaped (pedate, birdfoot-shaped): The leaf lobes of a foot-nerved leaf, with two-branched, further branching main nerve, are almost hand-shaped.
    • foot-shaped divided, split, lobed, cut (foot-parted, -faltig, -lappig, -schnittig, pedately lobed, pedatilobed, -fid, -partite, -sect): The more or less long leaf lobes start from a broadened base with two branched main nerves . Whereby the outer lobes, near the base, branch off to the inward ones. This also applies accordingly to the sections of incompletely divided, cut leaves.
    • composed foot-shaped, also as cut (foot-shaped, pedate compound, pedati-, radiatisect): here the petiole divides at the tip into two branches that carry different, completely separate leaf surfaces, partial leaves, e.g. B. Snow rose .
  • double or multiple pinnate (bipinnate; twice-pinnate, tripinnate; thrice-pinnate or mutipinnate and decompound): with their pinnate again. The independent sections are called plumage or plumage of the second, third ... last order. This also applies accordingly to incompletely divided leaves.

Structure according to the shape of the blade

Classification of leaf shapes according to William Bertram Turrill
Cussonia nicholsonii leaves
  • Asymmetrical, unequal: the blade is divided into unequal parts on both sides of the central vein.
  • Symmetrical, equilateral: the blade is divided into two roughly equal parts on both sides of the central vein.
  • Circular (orbiculate): The blade has a circular outline.
  • Semicircular: The blade has a semicircular outline.
  • Roundish (suborbiculate): The blade has an approximately circular outline and is somewhat (1 to 1.5 times) longer than it is broad.
  • Elliptical (oval) (ovoid; obsolete): The blade is 1.5 to 2.5 times, and so it schmalelliptisch is (narrowly-elliptic) and to 3 times as long as wide. The widest point is in the middle.
  • Transverse elliptic: The blade is 0.3 to 0.7 times as long as it is wide or 1.5 to 3 times as wide as it is long. The widest point is in the middle.
  • Ovate (ovate; obsolete): The blade is 1.5 to 3 times as long as it is wide. The widest point is below the middle. The term is further divisible into breiteiförmig (broadly-obovate; 1.5 to 2 times as long as wide), oval in the narrower sense (2 to 2.5 times as long as wide) and schmaleiförmig (narrowly-ovate ; 2.5 to 3 times as long as wide). The same applies to the other terms with the same length / width ratio.
  • Obovate: like egg-shaped, but the widest point is above the center.
  • Spatulate, unguiculate; (also obpyriform): The blade has a rounded tip, the greatest width is in the tip third. The blade narrows towards the base with concave, then straight edges. The blade is basically divided into a nail and a plate , as is the case with some petals.
  • Ovate-lanceolate: The blade is in the border area between ovate and lanceolate and (3 to 8 times) as long as it is wide. The widest point is below the middle.
  • Traffic part lanceolate (obovate-lanceolate); Reverse lanceolate (oblanceolate): The blade is in the border area between ovate and lanceolate and (3 to 8 times) as long as it is wide. The widest point is above the middle.
  • Lanceolate: The blade is (3 to 8 times) as long as it is wide. The widest point is in the middle. The edges are curved and narrow towards both ends. In foreign-language but also in some German-language works, the expression "narrow elliptical" is used for this leaf shape or not separated from "eilanzettlich". The term is further divisible into broadly lanceolate (broadly-lanceolate) (3 to 4 times) as long as wide, lanceolate in the strict sense (4 to 5.5 times as long as wide), and schmallanzettlich (narrowly-lanceolate) (5.5 to 8 times) as long as it is wide. The same applies to the other terms with the same length / width ratio.
  • Oblong: The blade is (3 to 8 times) as long as it is wide. It has more or less parallel leaf margins with rounded corners.
  • Ruler-lanceolate (lineal-lanceolate): The blade is in the border area between linear and lanceolate and (7 to 10 times or longer) as long as it is wide.
  • Ruler, grass-like, grass leaf (ruler, linear): The blade is at least (6 to) 8 times longer than wide and has parallel leaf edges with often a long tip.
  • Ribbon-shaped (flexuous): This is the name given to the leaves of aquatic plants that are bent up and down, have a soft texture and a linear, parallel-edged, relatively wide shape and (12 times or more) as long as they are wide.
  • Needle-shaped (acicular, acerose): The blade is narrow, parallel-edged, rigid, with a coarse, often piercing tip, not divided into a stalk and a blade.
  • Subulate: The blade is very narrow, triangular, about (6 times) as long as it is wide, widest at the base, narrowed into a fine point.
  • Triangular, wedge-shaped (triangulate): The blade is (0.5 to 6 times) as long as it is wide and widest at the base and gradually narrowed in a straight line towards the tip.
  • Delta-shaped (deltate): The blade is triangular and as long as it is wide, the tip is at the apex. Also called "deltoid", but this is geometrically incorrect.
  • Obdeltate: the blade is triangular and as long as it is wide, the tip is at the base of the leaf.
  • Reverse triangular, wedge-shaped (cuneate, obtriangulate): The blade is (0.5 to 6 times) as long as it is wide and widest at the tip and gradually narrowing towards the base and straight or convex.
  • Rhombic, diamond-shaped (rhomboid): The blade has the shape of a quadrilateral standing on its tip. It is (1 to 3 times) as long as it is wide and widest approximately in the middle.
  • Trowel-shaped, kite-shaped , deltoid (trullate): like rhombic, the blade is (1 to 3 times) as long as it is wide, but widest below the center.
  • Inverted trowel-shaped, dragon-quadrangular, -deltoid (obtrullate): As rhombic, the blade is (1 to 3 times) as long as it is wide, but widest above the middle.
  • Heart-shaped (cordate, cordiform): The blade has the shape of a heart and is pointed, pointed, pointed to rounded. A rounded notch or (deeper) incision divides the basal half into two broad, rounded lobes pointing backwards. It is stalked in the bay (a stalk bay) or sits sessile on the axis. It is (1 to 2 times) as long as it is wide.
  • Traffic heart-shaped (obcordate): The blade has a round border at the tip. It is stalked at the apex of the heart or sits sessile on the axis.
  • Kidney-shaped (reniform): The blade is elliptical to rounded and has the shape of a kidney . A rounded notch or (deeper) incision divides the basal half into two wide, rounded lobes pointing backwards.
  • Violin-shaped, constricted (panduriform, pandurate, fiddle-shaped): The blade is elongated or elliptical and has an arc-shaped constriction in the middle or below on both sides. The lower part is wider than the upper.
  • Pear-shaped (pyriform); (also obspatulate): The blade has a rounded base, the greatest width is in the base third. The blade narrows towards the tip with concave, then convex edges.
  • Scale leaf, imbricate: short, wide and mostly adjacent to the stem axis. Common fir ( Araucaria heterophylla )
  • Shield-shaped (peltate): The leaf stalk attaches to the underside of the blade, central or eccentric.
  • Sickle-shaped (falcate): The blade is curved sickle-shaped.
  • Crescent-shaped (lunate, crescent-shaped); Wing-shaped (aliform): The blade is crescent-shaped, in the shape of a delta sail , with two long, rounded, triangular lobes (wings) that are connected to form a larger triangle. Christia vespertilionis , Passiflora biflora .
  • Sword-shaped, belt-shaped (ensiform) (lorate): the leaf blade is laterally strongly flattened, with sharp edges and tapering to a (slender) tip; Klivie ( Clivia miniata ).
  • Tongue-shaped, band-shaped (ligulate): tongue- shaped, belt-shaped, narrow with parallel sides, grooved and as if bitten off.
  • Fan-shaped (flabellate): With a fan-shaped blade z. B. Ginkgo leaves.
  • Spike-shaped (hastate, half-earth-shaped): The two pointed, also rounded side lobes at the base are right- to obtuse-angled (> 110 °), outwards.
  • Arrow-shaped (sagittate): The two pointed, also rounded side lobes at the base point backwards at an acute to obtuse angle (<110 °).
  • Twisted, curled, spirally, turbinate, tortuous, helical, helicoidal): The blade is axially twisted, twisted; Albuca spiralis , Chrysothamnas viscidiflorus .
  • Deformed, contorted: The blade is crooked, wrinkled and twisted.

Structure according to Spreitengrund

The spreading base (base) is the (proximal) end of the spreading on the petiole.

  • Slanted, oblique, (unequal) sided (oblique, inequilateral): The leaf base is asymmetrical, with two unequal halves, e.g. B. Mountain elm ( Ulmus glabra ). Halved (dimidate); when one half of the span is almost entirely missing.
  • Equilateral: The leaf base is symmetrical, with two equal halves.
  • Truncate: The (almost; subtruncate) straight edges of the spread meet perpendicularly to the midrib.
  • Rounded (rotundate): The convexly curved edges of the spreaders meet the central rib perpendicularly.
  • Narrowed (attenuate): The concavely curved spreading edges meet the central rib at an acute angle (<45 °).
  • Acuminate: The concave side edges meet at an acute angle (<90 °) on the central rib and form an elongated point.
  • Wedge-shaped, wedge-shaped (narrowly cuneate): The straight or convex spreading edges meet the midrib at an acute angle (<45 °).
  • Pointed (acute, cuneate): The straight or convex side margins meet at an acute angle (45–90 °) on the midrib. The tip is pointed.
  • Round-pointed (subobtuse, subacute): The straight or convex side edges meet the midrib at an acute angle (45–90 °). The tip is just rounded.
  • Obtuse: The straight or convex edges of the spreads meet the midrib at an obtuse angle (> 90 °). The tip is rounded or slightly pointed.
  • Heart-shaped (cordate, cordiform): See under the shape of the blade.
  • Kidney-shaped (reniform): See under the shape of the blade.
  • Earthened, lobed (auriculate, lobate): if the base of the spread is provided with two small, round, blunt lobes or appendages (auricles) e.g. B. English oak ( Quercus robur ). You can still differentiate between the size of the lobules small, medium and large.
  • Spike-shaped (hastate, half-earth-shaped): The two pointed, also rounded side lobes at the base are right- to obtuse-angled (> 110 °), outwards; Hibiscus laevis , Polygonum arifolium .
  • Arrow-shaped (sagittate): The two pointed, also rounded side lobes at the base point backwards at an acute to obtuse angle (<110 °).
  • Atypical, lobed (divergent, lobate): A base with short, straight, obtuse-angled (> 110 °), outward-pointing tips, lobes.
  • Upside down, resupinate: The leaf base is twisted (180 °); Indian lilies ( Alstroemeria ).
  • Hood-shaped: (cucullate) (cymbiform): with cap-shaped, boat-shaped, furrowed to rolled-up leaf edges on the base of the spread.
  • Complex: The base of the spread is formed by several different side curvatures, the side edges meet at one point without indentation.
  • Separated, articulated: The upper area of ​​the blade is articulated or separated or articulated.

Structure according to Spreitenspitze

The tip of the blade or the apex is the (distal) end of the blade facing away from the shoot axis.

  • Truncate: The edge of the spread runs at the tip as an (almost) straight transverse line and meets the midrib at a right angle.
  • Rounded (rotundate, rounded): The spreading edge is convexly curved at the tip and meets the central rib at a right angle.
  • Obtuse: The edges of the spread form an obtuse angle (> 90 °) to each other. The edges of the spread are straight or convex towards the tip . The tip is rounded or slightly pointed.
  • Pointed (acute): The spreading edges form an acute angle (45–90 °) to each other. The edges of the spread are straight or convex towards the tip. The tip is pointed.
  • Round-pointed (subobtuse, subacute): The straight or convex side edges meet the midrib at an acute angle (45–90 °). The tip is just rounded.
  • Acuminate: The edges of the spread form an acute angle (<45 °) to each other. The edges of the spread are concave towards the tip.
  • Apiculate: The rounded tip of the blade has a small, flexible, flat tip that is suddenly separated from the blade (l / b> 3: 1).
  • Short, fine-tipped (short-toothed, cusp-tipped) (cuspidate): with a stepped, short, narrow, rather stiff tip or cusp (shorter trickle tips ).
  • Tailed (caudate): with a detached, long, tail-like appendage at the tip (longer trickle tips).
  • Prickly pointed (mucronate): with a short, soft to hard end bristle formed by the emerging midrib (l / b 1: 1 to 3: 1).
  • Finely spiked (mucronulate): with a very short, soft to hard end bristle formed by the protruding central rib (l / b ≤ 1: 1).
  • Awn-pointed, awned (aristate): with a long, straight, stiff end bristle formed by the emerging central rib (l / b> 3: 1). The awn can also emerge from the back of the husks of the grass.
  • Dornspitzig (pungent): with a piercing thorn-like point.
  • Hood-shaped (cucullate) (cymbiform): with cap-shaped, boat-shaped, furrowed to rolled up leaf edges at the tip, e.g. B. Two-leaved squill ( Scilla bifolia ).
  • Spoon-shaped (ladle-shaped): the tip of the lamina is spoon-shaped with a narrow, stem-like lower area.
  • Glass haired: With a very thin glass hair ; Tortula ruralis .
  • Narrowed (attenuate): The concavely curved edges of the spread form a sharp point at an acute angle (<45 °).
  • Long extended, needle-shaped or subulate (acicular, subulate): gradual transition into the tip.
  • Coiled (cirrhosis, cirrhous) (tendrillar): With a thin, spiral-shaped, flexible coil; Crown of Fame ( Gloriosa superba ).
  • Hooked (uncinate, circumflex): With a hook at the tip.
  • Bitten off (pre (a) morse, ask): abruptly, irregularly trimmed, as if bitten off, broken off.
  • Prickly (aculeate, spiny, spinose, bristle-tipped): With small, stiff spines on the leaf margin, also on the tip, also with hooks (uncinate); Mahonia aquifolium , Berberis koreana , holly ( Ilex ).
  • Cracked, notched, notched, it can also be unequal (oblique).
    • Two-, three-lobed, -spitzig (bi-, trifid, bi-, tridentate): With two or three lobes, tips.
    • Notched: With a gap (1 / 4–1 / 2 l) at the tip, divided into round or straight lobes, side edges convex or straight.
    • Split, lobed (cleft, lobed): With an indentation (1 / 4–1 / 2 l) at the tip, divided into round or straight lobes, side edges convex or straight.
    • Inverted heart-shaped (obcordate): With a small (1 / 10–1 / 4 l), rounded indentation at the tip, side edges convex or straight.
    • Emarginate: With a very small (1 / 20–1 / 10 l), rounded indentation at the tip, side edges convex or straight.
    • Indented (retuse): With a very small (1/100 to 1/20 l), rounded indentation at the tip, side edges convex.
  • Atypical (divergent): The two pointed, also rounded lateral lobes at the apex are obtuse-angled, outward (bi, trifid; also with middle lobes); Passiflora citrina , tulip tree ( Liriodendron tulipifera ).
  • Rolled up (circinate): The spreader tip is rolled up.
  • Rolled over, rolled back (revolute): The spreader tip is rolled up towards the bottom.
  • Rolled up (involute): The spreader tip is rolled up towards the top.
  • Recurved: The tip of the spreader is bent towards the underside.
  • Incurved: The spreader tip is bent towards the top.
  • Complex: The apex area is formed by several different side curvatures, the side edges meet at one point without indentation.

Breakdown according to the edge of the spread

Leaf margin: A with entire margins, B ciliate, C – E serrated, F doubly serrated, G serrated, H notched, I serrated with spines, J slit
  • Entire margin: with imperforate margin, without incisions.
  • Sawn (serrate): There are sharp incisions between the pointed protrusions (teeth).
    • Double sawed (biserrate, doubly, double serrate): with saw teeth that are also sawn. With regular or irregular, alternating large and small saw teeth.
    • Sawed forward (forward-pointing, forth-serrated, antrorse): saw teeth point to the tip of the spade. The English names for sawn (serrate) and notched (crenate) are always meant forward.
    • Standing out, straight sawn (straight-serrated, saw-toothed) (in some, especially foreign-language works, “toothed”; called dentate ): saw teeth stand out straight.
    • Sawed backwards (backward-pointing, back, retro-serrated, retrorse): saw teeth point to the base of the spreiten.
    • Fine sawed (serrulate): with small saw teeth evenly spaced.
    • Coarsely serrated: with large saw teeth.
    • Sawtooth distantly (remotely-serrated): with saw teeth spaced apart.
  • Notched (crenate): There are sharp incisions between the rounded protrusions (notched teeth).
  • Crenulate: with small serrated teeth.
  • Round-toothed, butt-toothed, krenelated (scalloped, broad-crenate): With wide, round teeth, lobules; Gundermann ( Glechoma hederacea ), Betonie ( Betonica officinalis ), Swedish ivy ( Plectranthus verticillatus ).
  • Cleft, notched: with deeper notched teeth.
  • Toothed (dentate): between the straight protruding, pointed or slightly blunted teeth are rounded or straight incisions; with the same subdivisions as sawn.
  • Pointed, serrated (spinose-dentate, -serrate): with small points on the teeth.
  • Denticulate: with very small teeth.
  • Distantly shallowly-sinuate, dentately: Flat, round or pointed projections alternate with wide-arched incisions, e.g. B. Brachyglottis repanda .
  • Fringed, fringed (fimbriate, fringed): The spreading edges are fringed, with (un) regular, long, narrow, thread-like tips.
  • Filiferous: The blade has long, protruding threads like the California Washington palm ( Washingtonia filifera ) or the agave filifera .
  • Eyelashes (ciliate): with protruding hairs on the leaf margin.
  • Fine eyelashes (ciliolate): with very fine protruding hairs on the leaf margin.
  • Rough forwards, backwards (ciliate, ciliolate, antrorse, retrorse bristly, prickly, scabrous): covered with tiny, stiff (choppy) hairs, therefore rough to the touch when stroking forwards and backwards. Marsh bedstraw ( Galium palustre ), burdock bedstraw ( Galium aparine )
  • Bitten off (pre (a) morse, ask): abruptly, irregularly trimmed, as if bitten off, broken off.
  • Undulate, corrugated: with three-dimensional waves, in contrast; flat, two-dimensional waves are called "sinuate". Common beech ( Fagus sylvatica )
  • Buckled, buckled toothed (sinuate): wavy edges, sinusoidal , with flat, rounded teeth and bays.
  • Flared, finely corrugated (repand): with smaller, flat, three-dimensional waves; Berchemia scandens .
  • Frizzy, crinkled (crispate): strongly and irregularly wavy; Parsley .
  • Cartilaginous margin: with a thickened, usually pale margin; Auricle ( Primula auricula ).
  • Gnawed (erose): The sides are fine, irregularly serrated, notched, as if gnawed off, broken off.
  • Prickly (aculeate, spiny, spinose, bristle-tipped, spinescent): with small, stiff spines on the leaf margin, also with hooks (uncinate).
  • Gathered, pleated (rüschig) (ruffled, frilly): The edges of the stretcher are gathered, crinkled.
  • Incised: With deep, sharp, irregular points.
  • Slashed, torn (laciniate, lacerate): irregularly pinnate-shaped with irregular and narrow sections.
  • Comb-shaped (pectinate): regularly pinnate-shaped with densely packed, equally long, very narrow sections.
  • Hairy (hirsute, hispid): with a hair ( trichome ) on the tips of the teeth.
  • Glandular: teeth covered with glands; Ceanothus tomentosus .

Structure according to cross-section of the spread

  • Straight (plane): The cross-section is almost straight.
  • Rolled up, rolled back (revolute): The edge of the spread is rolled up towards the bottom.
  • Rolled up (involute): The edge of the spread is rolled up towards the top.
  • Recurved: the edge of the spread is bent towards the underside.
  • Incurved: The edge of the spread is bent towards the top.
  • Rolled (convolute): The blade is completely rolled lengthways.
  • Bent up (bend, tipped up,): The edges of the spread are bent up about straight.
  • Shell-shaped (conchiform) (spoon-shaped, cochlear ): The spreader halves are bent up, so that a bowl or spoon results.
  • Crumpled, crinkled: The sheet is crumpled, wrinkled; Garden salad ( Lactuca sativa ), vegetable cabbage ( Brassica oleracea ).
  • Dome-shaped, abaxially concave (cupuliform, cup-shape, saddle-shape): the blade is convexly curved towards the top.
  • Folded in, folded (conduplicate): Folded up along the midrib. The cross-section is clearly V-shaped.
  • Plicate, pleated (induplicate, reduplicate): The individual leaflets or leaves are folded in parallel, e.g. B. a fan - palm leaves or lengthways as in the White Germer ( Veratrum album ) and in Wachendorfia thyrsiflora .
  • Channel-shaped, channeled (channeled, canaliculate; keeled, carinate): The cross-section is U- to V-shaped.
  • Keeled (carinat): The blade has an angular longitudinal strip on the underside, which usually consists of the thickened central rib. An angled back is sufficient for husks of grass .
  • Tubular, tubular (fistulose, tubular); The cross-section is tubular, usually hollow on the inside. Tubular affodill ( Asphodelus fistulosus ), chives ( Allium schoenoprasum )
  • Boat-shaped, boat-shaped, trough-shaped, abaxially convex (cymbiform): keeled with upwardly curved side halves, U- to V-shaped in cross-section, with a contracted tip.
  • Wavy, longitudinally folded (undulate / repand): With a wavy cross-section.
  • Over-rolled (supervolute): One side of the leaf rolls around another, rolled-up leaf, the other side of the leaf rolls over it when they appear above ground level; Glanthus elwesii .
  • Hanging (dropped, flaccid): If e.g. B. With shield-shaped leaves the lamina hangs down on all sides.

Calling

If clear valleys (grooves, furrows) and mountains (ribs) can be seen in the cross-section of the leaf blade, the blade is called striation. In general the grooves are uniform.

  • smooth or almost smooth (smooth, plane) z. B. Briza media .
  • smooth with double groove (ski track, rail blade) (smooth with tramline) in the middle z. B. most species of the genera Poa , meadow oats ( Helictotrichon ), swaths ( Glyceria ).
  • slightly striated: ribs wider than high
  • clearly striated: ribs about the same width as high z. B. most species of the genus Agrostis .
  • extremely striated: ribs higher than wide e.g. B. Deschampsia cespitosa , Festuca rubra .
  • a longitudinal, light to whitish central strip (white central strip); Chicken millet ( Echinochloa crus-galli ) or hairy barnacle millet ( Panicum capillare ).
  • Unequal striated: The ribs are very different in width.

Surface texture

  • Striate: see above
  • Lochrig (fenestrate, perforated): small holes in the leaf blade are delicious window leaves ( Monstera deliciosa ).
  • Dotted, stippled, dotted (punctate): with tiny dots or small dents, holes.
  • Papilose (papillose): with small wart-like elevations.
  • Warty, verrucous (tuberculate, verrucose): covered with warts, nodules.
  • Callous; with a nodular, cartilaginous-hard, usually non-green protrusion
  • Wrinkled (rugose, wrinkled): reticulate, irregularly wrinkled.
  • Bubble (bullate): with small bubbles.
  • Cobblestone, torose, knobbed, knopped, tortoise:
  • Chewed (ruminate, chewed): roughly uneven, very creased, as if chewed.
  • Cross bumps, bumpily: With hilly elevations on the upper side of the leaf Poa annua or Dactylis glomerata .
  • Frosted: covered with wipeable, light wax coating (frost) (cabbage leaves)
  • Dusted (floured): like dusted with flour (goosefoot)
  • School-like, sign-like: small, sign-shaped, star hairs that are not or easily wipeable or detachable, that are part of the hair clothing and that have grown together on the branches (membranous plate, Lepides), or point-like scales
  • Bearded: with limited areas of hair or rows of fringes on otherwise bare organs
  • Bearded underarm: with tufts of hair ("mite house") in the branches of the nerves on the underside of pinnate leaves (linden)
  • Smooth: without roughness and without unevenness
  • Naked, bald: d. H. without hair, glands, spines, thorns, hoarfrost, flour, roughness
  • When the leaves are hairy, many shapes are possible - see Trichome

Outline by bend

  • (recurved): With an outwardly downwardly curved tip.
  • (cernuous): With an outward nodding point.
  • (squarrose): With a right-angled, downward, outward curve of the tips.
  • (incurved): With a curvy tip that is curved upwards.
  • (flexuous): Ribbon, wavy curved.

Structure according to the three-dimensional shape of the leaf

Foliage leaves are not always flat, but can come in many shapes.

  • Globose: spherical .
  • Ovoid: similar to an egg , d. H. wider at the bottom than at the top.
  • Pear-shaped (pyriform, also piriform): too much narrowed towards the base (stem).
  • Ellipsoidal ( ellipsoid , spheroid ) (oblate, prolate): a three-dimensional ellipse.
  • Whale, cylindrical , twisting (terete): with a round, constant cross-section.
  • Röhrig (fistulose, tubular): narrow, cylindrical and hollow.
  • Spindle-shaped (fusiform): towards both ends narrowed to Austrocylindropuntia subulata .
  • Bristle-shaped, bristle-like (setiform): at least (20 times) as long as wide, equally thick and stiff, with a diameter of (0.8 to 1.5 mm). Cylindrical or with a channel in cross-section. Bristle grass ( Nardus stricta )
  • Filiform: as above, but not stiff, with a diameter of (0.5-0.8 mm).
  • Filamentous: as above, but not stiff, with a diameter of less than (0.5 mm).
  • Rush-shaped, rush-like (junciform): long, narrow and terete, without a groove.

Breakdown by area of ​​the blade

According to Christen Raunkiær , Webb:

  • leptophyll: <25 mm 2
  • nanophyll: 25-225 mm 2 ; l = <2.5 cm
  • microphyll: 225-2.025 mm 2 ; l = 2.5-7.5 cm
  • notophyll: 2.025-4.500 mm 2 ; l = 7.5-12.5 cm
  • mesophyll: 4,500-18,225 mm 2 ; l = 12.5-25 cm
  • macrophyll: 18.225-164.025 mm 2 ; l => 25 cm
  • megaphyll:> 164.025 mm 2

Other authors also give slightly different dimensions and subclasses.

Other specifications

  • In botany, plant parts (e.g. a cavity, a tuft of hair) that provide living space for animals, usually insects, are called domatia .
  • In plants with leaf sheaths, a ligule is an appendage at the transition point between the sheath and the upper side of the blade .
  • Leaf scars appear on the shoots of perennial plants after the leaves have fallen.
  • Hydathodes or water fissures are water-secreting glands that are often located on the tips of the leaves, on the teeth of the leaf margin or at the end of large leaf veins.
  • Phyllodes are leaf-like widened petioles, which take on the assimilation function of the leaf blade, while the latter has receded.
  • Pulvinus are thickened areas (leaf joints) in the stems or at the base of the pinna of plant leaves.
  • Variegated (variegated): The lamina is provided with white (colored) patterning, spots, streaks.

consistency

“Consistency” is the way a sheet feels when touched and moved. One distinguishes between:

  • Inconspicuous
  • Limp, soft: if you press lightly against the tip of the blade, it bends a few millimeters below the tip, e.g. B. Poa pratensis , Milium effusum .
  • Extremely soft (very soft):
  • Stiff and firm: if you press lightly against the tip of the blade, it only kinks about two centimeters below the tip, e.g. B. Sesleria caerulea , Calamagrostis epigejos , Phragmites australis .
  • Leathery:
  • Like leather (coriaceous), slightly brittle (like leather, slightly breakable):
  • Paper sound:
  • Metallic sound:
  • Very fibrous: palm leaves
  • Succulent, juicy:
  • Herbaceous: weak, watery structure

A distinction can also be made between soft-leaved, soft-leaved (mesophyll and malacophylly; soft, usually very hairy) and laurel-leaved; Laurophyllie , with evergreen, dark green, medium-sized, tough, strong, (thin), leathery and elongated leaves, because they are brilliant they are also called lucidophyll called and leathery, hartblättrige, sclerophyllous (Sklorphyllie; small, stiff, leathery and durable) .

Handle

“Grip” is the way a sheet feels when you touch it and stroke it over it. One distinguishes between:

  • Inconspicuous
  • Glabous subglabrous:
  • Oily soapy (oleaginous soapy) z. B. Briza media
  • Rough, upwards rough or downwards rough (rough, scabrid) z. B. Deschampsia cespitosa .
  • Silky: with silky trichomes
  • Sticky (viscid, glutinous): with a sticky surface
  • Sandy (scabrous, scaberulous):
  • Bristly (bristly, hirsute):
  • Scaly (lepidote):
  • Prickly (muricate, prickly):
  • Dotted, stippled, dotted (punctate): with tiny dots or small dents, holes.
  • Papilose (papillose): with small wart-like elevations.
  • Warty, verrucous (tuberculate, verrucose): covered with warts, nodules.
  • Bubble (bullate):
  • Wrinkled (rugose):
  • Cobblestone, torose, knobbed, tortoise:
  • Corrugated (striate):
  • Farinaceous, scurfy: covered with flour-like powder or small particles.
  • Hairy (pubescent):
  • Slimy, mucous:

Leaf anatomy type

When assessing the leaf anatomy and generally the water and gas exchange, in addition to the leaf structure such as stomata per area, vascular bundles per area, type of cuticle, hairs, etc., features of the root are also taken into account. Possible states or shapes:

  • hydromorph - green organs are adapted to gas exchange in water.
  • leaf succulent - with water reservoirs in the leaves, as well as thick epidermis and cuticle.
  • helomorphic - with air-filled spaces in the root cortex through which gas exchange is improved; an adaptation to lack of oxygen in the swamp floor. Leaves with many stomata and vascular bundles per area.
  • mesomorphic - without peculiarities, between scleromorphic, xeromorphic and hygromorphic.
  • scleromorphic, xeromorphic - stiffened, coarse-leathery, waxy and low in juice, mostly small, as well as with thick epidermis and cuticle, but also with facilities for promoting water replenishment when there is a good water supply.
  • hygromorphic - delicately built, extensive, thin, juicy and rich in intercellular spaces. Leaves of shade and partial shade plants, in trees with high water requirements and pronounced transpiration. These species are bound to relatively high humidity, moist to wet locations. The cuticle and epidermis are poorly developed, helomorelt and thin. The number of stomata is also very small.

Leaf persistence

  • pre-summer green, spring green (summer-deciduous)
  • summer green (winter-deciduous)
  • overwintering green, (autumn-spring green or early summer green) (summer-deciduous); (evergreen)
  • partially, semi-, semi-evergreen (semi-evergreen, semi-deciduous)
  • rain green (drought-deciduous)
  • evergreen (persistent green, evergreen); overwintering evergreen or year-round evergreen (short-term defoliated, partially evergreen, brevideciduous) and permanent evergreen, permanent green

Light position

There is also a division of the leaf positions to the light, the light position; Leaf heliotropism , plagio phototropism , they are oriented at an angle to the direction of light.

  • aphototropic, apophotometric; are not affected by light.
  • dysphototropic; Orientation of the plane of the lamina not perpendicular but different to incident light.
  • spirophototropic; spiral orientation of the leaves so that the greatest abundance of light is directed to the stem axis.
  • diaphototropic, transverse phototropic; Alignment of the plane of the lamina perpendicular to incident light, with rotation at the leaf base.
  • euphototropic, euphotometric, transverse phototropic; Alignment of the plane of the lamina perpendicular to the incident light, independent rotation on the petiole.
  • paraphototropic, panphotometric; Alignment of the plane of the lamina parallel to incident light. Leaves that are positioned to get the maximum amount of diffuse light.
  • photokinetic; with light-irritable leaves

The leaves of the light plants are usually thicker, smaller and oriented at more acute, steeper angles than the horizontal, thinner, larger of the shade plants . This also ensures that the others that grow below get enough light. The photosynthetic capacity is also higher than that of the shade plants.

literature

  • Lexicon of Biology. Volume 3, Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg 2000, ISBN 3-8274-0328-6 , pp. 1-9.
  • Manfred A. Fischer, Karl Oswald, Wolfgang Adler: Excursion flora for Austria, Liechtenstein and South Tyrol . 3rd, improved edition. State of Upper Austria, Biology Center of the Upper Austrian State Museums, Linz 2008, ISBN 978-3-85474-187-9 .
  • Siegmund Seybold : Flora of Germany and neighboring countries. A book for identifying vascular plants that grow wild and often cultivated . Founded by Otto Schmeil , Jost Fitschen . 93rd completely revised and expanded edition. Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2006, ISBN 3-494-01413-2 .
  • Rudolf Schubert , Klaus Werner, Hermann Meusel (eds.): Excursion flora for the areas of the GDR and the FRG . Founded by Werner Rothmaler. 13th edition. tape 2 : vascular plants . People and knowledge, Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-06-012539-2 .
  • Christel Kasselmann : aquarium plants. 2nd revised and expanded edition, Ulmer Verlag, 1999, ISBN 3-8001-7454-5 , pp. 479-483 (on leaf shapes, leaf position and leaf edge shapes).
  • Konrad Lauber, Gerhart Wagner: Key to the Flora Helvetica. With drawings by André Michel. 4th edition, Paul Haupt, Bern / Stuttgart / Vienna 2007, ISBN 978-3-258-07240-1 .
  • Michael G. Simpson: Plant Systematics. Academic Press, 2006, ISBN 978-0-12-644460-5 .

Web links

Commons : leaf shape  - collection of images, videos, and audio files
Wiktionary: Leaf form  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Unifoliolate at Cactus Art.biz, accessed on May 21, 2019.
  2. ↑ a b c d e The definition of this term differs in Fischer et al. 2005 and 2008, excursion flora for Austria, Liechtenstein and South Tyrol from.
  3. ^ Manfred A. Fischer, Wolfgang Adler, Karl Oswald: Excursion flora for Austria, Liechtenstein and South Tyrol . 2nd, improved and enlarged edition. State of Upper Austria, Biology Center of the Upper Austrian State Museums, Linz 2005, ISBN 3-85474-140-5 .
  4. ^ Manfred A. Fischer, Karl Oswald, Wolfgang Adler: Excursion flora for Austria, Liechtenstein and South Tyrol . 3rd, improved edition. State of Upper Austria, Biology Center of the Upper Austrian State Museums, Linz 2008, ISBN 978-3-85474-187-9 .
  5. ↑ Eckehart J. Jäger (Ed.): Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Vascular plants: baseline . Founded by Werner Rothmaler. 20th, revised and expanded edition. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg 2011, ISBN 978-3-8274-1606-3 , p. 880 .
  6. ↑ palmates & costapalmates; Hastula at Biological Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin.
  7. ↑ Leaf or Branch on virtualherbarium.org, accessed October 24, 2018.
  8. ↑ Gottlieb Wilhelm Bischoff : Dictionary of descriptive botany. 2nd edition, Schweizerbart, 1857, p. 114.
  9. ↑ Christel Kasselmann: aquarium plants. P. 479.
  10. ↑ a b c d e f Leaf Architecture Working Group: Manual of Leaf Architecture. Smithsonian Institution, 1999, ISBN 0-9677554-0-9 , online (PDF; 4.1 MB), at geosc.psu.edu, accessed June 15, 2017.
  11. ^ William Thomas Stearn : Botanical Latin. History, Grammar, Syntax, Terminology and Vocabulary. 3rd revised edition. David & Charles, Newton Abbot / London / North Pomfret VT 1983, ISBN 0-7153-8548-8 , Descriptive Terminology , pp. 311-357.
  12. ^ LJ Webb: A physiognomic classification of Australian rain forests. In: Journal of Ecology. 47 (3), 1959, pp. 551-570, doi: 10.2307 / 2257290 .
  13. ↑ Geoff Williams, Paul Adam: The Flowering of Australia's Rainforests. Csiro, 2010, ISBN 978-0-643-10187-6 , p. 36.
  14. ↑ Eddy van der Maarel, Janet Franklin: Vegetation Ecology. 2nd Edition, Wiley, 2013, ISBN 978-1-4443-3888-1 , p. 388, limited preview in Google book search.
  15. ↑ M. Ingrouille: Diversity and Evolution of Land Plants. Chapman & Hall, 1992, 1995, ISBN 0-412-44230-2 , p. 260, limited preview in the Google book search.
  16. ^ B. Rollet, Ch. Högermann, Ingrid Roth: Stratification of tropical forests as seen in leaf structure. Part 2, Kluwer Academic, 1990, ISBN 978-94-010-7335-6 , p. 46.
  17. ^ Stefan Klotz & Ingolf Kühn : sheet features. In: Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Bonn: Series of publications for vegetation science. H. 38, 2002, pp. 119–126, online ( memento of the original dated January 24, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 235 kB). @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www2.ufz.de
  18. ↑ Oscar Drude : The ecology of plants. Vieweg, 1913, online ( Memento from September 4, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 33.5 MB).
  19. ↑ Katharina Munk (ed.): Botany. Thieme, 2009, ISBN 978-3-13-144851-4 , p. 432.
  20. ↑ Michael Begon, Robert W. Howarth, Colin R. Townsend: Ecology. 3rd edition, Springer, 2017, ISBN 978-3-662-49906-1 , p. 88.