LEAF: TISSUE FOR FOOD PRODUCTION ● External morphology of the leaves

● Origin characterization:
○ All leaves originate as ○ Leaf Type
primordia​ in the apical or ○ Venation
lateral buds ○ Phyllotaxy
● Basic Parts ○ Leaf shape
○ Blade ​= lamina (thin layer) ○ Base
○ Petiole ​= stalk ○ Margin
○ Midrib ​= network of veins ○ Apex
○ Stipules ​= leaf-like, scalelike ● Classification
or thorn-like appendage ○ Simple Leaves ​= single
■ Mostly in angiosperm blade per petiole
● Leaves ○ Compound Leaves ​= has
○ Constitute the ​shoot system smaller leaflets but originate
of a plant along with the stem from a single axillary bud
○ Main organ of photosynthesis ■ Pinnately ​= leaflets in
and transpiration pairs along an
○ Considered as the most extension of the
variable plant tissue petiole
● Monocot Leaf ■ Palmately​ = all
○ Ligule ​= collar extension of leaflets attached at
the sheath curving around the same point at the
the stem end of the petiole
○ Auricle ​= surrounds the stem
at the junction of the blade
and sheath; protection from
dirt

● Shape or Outline of Leaves

[​LOOSEHOLD​]
○ Linear ​ = thin
○ Lanceolate ​= like spear
○ Ovate ​ = oval shape
○ Cordate​ = heart shaped
● Venation [P3P;RP]​ = arrangement ● Phyllotaxy [ASOW]​ = leaf
of veins arrangement in a stalk
○ Parallel = ​monocots ○ Alternate​ = alternately in a
○ Netted ​ = dicots spiral with one leaf per node
■ Pinnately veined ​= ○ Opposite ​ = two leaves from
one primary vein the opposite node
(midvein) which is ○ Whorled ​ = three or more
included within an leaves at a node
enlarged midrib
■ Palmately veined ​ =
several primary veins
fan out from the base
of the blade
● Apexes [BARATO]​ = outer end or
tip of the leaf ● Leaf Anatomy

● Internal Parts of a Leaf

● Leaf Base [CHORT]
○ Epidermis​ = covered the
flattened surface of a leaf
○ Stomata ​= tiny pores which
allow the entry for carbon
dioxide and oxygen
○ Guard cells​ = sausage
shaped pair cells that control
water loss by opening and
closing the pore
○ Mesophyll layer ​= actual
photosynthesis occurs

● Leaf Margins [SLIDEDS]

● Monocot Leaves
○ Isobilateral Mesophyll ​→
not well differentiated into
palisade and spongy layers
○ Bulliform cells ​→ large, thin
walled cells located at the
upper epidermis; helps
reduce water loss
● Leaf Epidermis → ​cell layer that
covers the outer surface of the
leaves
○ 3 kinds of epidermal cells
■ Ordinary epidermal
cells
■ Trichomes or hair
cells
■ Guard cells
○ Trichomes​ → reduce too
much water loss and protect
the leaves from predatory
animals
● Stomata
○ Opening mostly in the lower
epidermis
○ Only passageway of
atmospheric gasses into and
out of the leaves
○ Opening and closing →
movement of guard cells
○ 100 per sq mm (average)
○ CO2 enters → H2O and O2
exits
● Factors stomata
1. Light​ opens it; darkness
closes it
2. Water/Moisture availability
(CO2 increase) → closes to
prevent further water loss
3. Temperature change​ →
high temperatures will close
the stomata to prevent water
loss
● Stomatal opening is due to the
presence of yellow pigment present
in the plasma membrane of guard
cells
● Stomata Density
○ High atmospheric CO2 = low
stomatal density
○ Low atmospheric CO2 = high
stomata density
● Special Cases
○ Floating leaves​ = stomates
only on the upper epidermis
○ Submerged leaves​ = no
stomates
○ Desert plants (Xerophytes)
■ Thick and reduced
leaves
■ Stomata opens only
at night
■ Thick waxy layer
○ Conifers
■ With waxy needle
leaves
■ Evergreen
■ Thick, waxy cuticle
■ Sunken stomata
● Leaf Types
○ Pinnately and Palmately
Compound
○ Peltate​ = rounded leaf
having its petiole attached to
 the lower surface of the ● Main vein (midrib)
lamina in the center with secondary
veins branching
from it
■ Palmately veined
● Veins radiate out
of the base of the
blade
○ Parallel venation​ =
characteristics of many
monocots
○ Dichotomous venation ​= no
midrib or large veins;
individual veins have a
tendency to fork evenly from
the base of the blade to the
opposite margin
● Specialized or Modified Leaves
○ Perfoliate ​= the base united 1. Cotyledons ​(seed leaves)
around and pierced by the ○ First leaves produced
stem by a germinating
seed
○ Often contain a store
of food (from
endosperm) to help
the seedling become
established
2. Colored Bracts
○ Petal-like leaves to
attract pollinators
3. Insect-Trapping Leaves
○ Live under
nutrient-poor
● Venation​ = arrangement of veins in conditions and
a leaf dissect insect bodies
○ Netted​ = one or a few more to obtain nitrogen and
prominent mid veins from other essential
which smaller minor veins nutrients
branch out; common to ○ Pitchers plants,
dicots and some sundews, venus
nonflowering plants flytraps, bladderworts
■ Pinnately veined 4. Tendrils
 ○Blade of leaves or
leaflets reduced in
size; allows plant to
cling to other objects
○ E.g sweet pea and
garden pea
5. Spines
○ Cacti and euphorbs
○ Leaves are often
reduced to spines to
discourage
herbivores and
reduce water loss;
stems = primary
organ for
photosynthesis
6. Storage Leaves
○ Succulent leaves
retain water in large
vacuoles
○ E.g. lithops
7. Absorptive Leaf
○ E.g. hydrilla
○ All cacti are xerophytes
○ Stomata sunken in pits
creates local
humidity/decreases exposure
to air currents
○ Presence of hairs creates
local humidity next to
leaf/decreases exposure to
air currents by reducing flow
around stomata
○ Thick waxy cuticle makes
more waterproof
impermeable to water
○ Stomata on inside of rolled
leaf creates local
humidity/decreases exposure
to air currents because water
vapour evaporates into air
space rather than
atmosphere
○ Fewer stomata decreases
transpiration as this is where
water is lost.

● Other Specialized Leaves

○ Reproductive Leaves​ =
arise on margins of leaves
○ Window Leaves ​ = plant
buried in soil with transparent
part exposed to light; being
buried reduces loss of water
in arid environments
○ Flower pot leaves ​= catch
water and debris for nutrient
collection
● Plant adaptations to habitats
○ Mesophytes ​= habitat
adequate water
○ Xerophytes ​= dry habitat
● Hydrophytes​ = plants which live
○ Halophytes​ = salty habitat
wholly or partly submerged in
○ Hydrophytes ​= freshwater
freshwater
habitat
● Adaptations of Hydrophytes
● Xerophytes
 ○ Have lots of ​air spaces​ in ○ Aka Breathing Roots
their tissues to help them ○ Grow to reach the ​surface
float​ in water above the water​ in order to
○ Little to no mechanical tissue obtain ​oxygen​ to survive
for buoyancy and less ○ Marshes or Swamps
resistance against water ● Regulation of Salt Content in
current Shoots
○ Absence of stomata for ○ Secretion of salts
submerged plants/stomata ■ Salt exported via
on surface only for floating active transport
plants ■ Excretion = Na+ and
○ Thin cuticle Cl- and other
● Halophytes inorganic ions
○ Plants that survive in saline ● Salt Glands in Black Mangrove
environments ○ Sunken gland on upper
○ Most prefer saline conditions epidermis
but can survive in freshwater ○ Elevated gland on lower
environments epidermis
○ Most are restricted to saline ○ Concentrations of secreted
environments salts is typically so high that
○ Saline soils under dry atmospheric
■ Possess large conditions, the salts
quantities of Na+ crystallize
■ Na+ adsorption on ● Responses to Increased Salts
clay particles reduces ○ Succulence​ = plant organs
Ca++ and Mg++ are thickened due to
content of soils increased cellular water
■ Marsh soils content
● Low O2 ○ Increased growth ​= reduces
● High CO2 cellular solute concentrations
● High CH4 ● Leaf Abscission
● Constantly ○ Most woody plants with
changing due broad leaves shed leaves in
to ebb and fall
flow of tides ■ Helps them survive
■ Angiosperm low temperatures of
Halophyte Types winter
● Marine ○ Involves physiological and
angiosperms anatomical changes
● Mangroves
● Coastal strand
● Salt marshes
● Pneumatophores
● Processes of Abscission ○ Fuel → yareta (​Azorella
○ As autumn approaches, plant yareta)​ with flammable resin
re-absorbs sugar ○ Drugs → digitalis and
■ Essential minerals digitoxin from foxglove
are transported out of (​Digitalis purpurea​)
leaves
○ Chlorophyll is broken down
■ Red water-soluble
pigments are
synthesized and
stored in vacuoles of
leaf cells (in some
species)
○ A protective layer of cork
cells develops on the stem
side of the ​abscission zone
■ Area where the leaf
petiole detaches from
the stem; made of
thin-walled
parenchyma cell
○ Enzymes dissolve ​middle
lamella ​in abscission zone
■ “Cement” that holds
primary cell walls of
adjacent cells
together
○ After leaf detaches,
protective layer of cork seals
off the area, forming a leaf
scar
● Economic Importance of Leaves
○ Food, Spices, Drinks
→ Cabbage, lettuce,
spinach, celery, parsley,
Agave
○ Dyes → red dye from henna
(​Lawsonia inermis)​
○ Fibers → abaca, pineapple,
jute​ (vegetable fiber that can
be spun to make strong
thread)