Leaf shape

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Chart illustrating leaf morphology terms
Chart illustrating leaf morphology terms
cordate leaf
cordate leaf
elliptic leaf
elliptic leaf
deltoid leaf
deltoid leaf

In botany, the following terms are used to describe the shape of plant leaves:

  • Acicular (acicularis): Slender and pointed, needle-like
  • Acuminate (acuminata): Tapering to a long point
  • Aristate (aristata): Ending in a stiff, bristle-like point
  • Bipinnate (bipinnata): Each leaflet also pinnate
  • Cordate (cordata): Heart-shaped, stem attaches to cleft
  • Cuneate (cuneata): Triangular, stem attaches to point
  • Deltoid (deltoidea): Triangular, stem attaches to side
  • Digitate (digitata): Divided into finger-like lobes
  • Elliptic (elliptica): Oval, with a short or no point
  • Falcate (falcata): sickle-shaped
  • Flabellate (flabellata): Semi-circular, or fan-like
  • Hastate (hastata): shaped like a spear point, with flaring pointed lobes at the base
  • Lance-shaped, lanceolate (lanceolata): Long, wider in the middle
  • Linear (linearis): Long and very narrow
  • Lobed (lobata): With several points
  • Obcordate (obcordata): Heart-shaped, stem attaches to tapering point
  • Oblanceolate (oblanceolata): Top wider than bottom
  • Oblong (oblongus): Having an elongated form with slightly parallel sides
  • Obovate (obovata): Teardrop-shaped, stem attaches to tapering point
  • Obtuse (obtusus): With a blunt tip
  • Orbicular (orbicularis): Circular
  • Ovate (ovata): Oval, egg-shaped, with a tapering point
  • Palmate (palmata): Divided into many lobes
  • Pedate (pedata): Palmate, with cleft lobes
  • Peltate (peltata): Rounded, stem underneath
  • Perfoliate (perfoliata): Stem through the leaves
  • Pinnate (pinnata): Two rows of leaflets
    • odd-pinnate : pinnate with a terminal leaflet
    • paripinnate, even-pinnate : pinnate lacking a terminal leaflet
  • Pinnatisect (pinnatifida): Cut, but not to the midrib (it would be pinnate then)
  • Reniform (reniformis): Kidney-shaped
  • Rhomboid (rhomboidalis): Diamond-shaped
  • Round (rotundifolia): Circular
  • Sagittate (sagittata): Arrowhead-shaped
  • Spatulate, spathulate (spathulata): Spoon-shaped
  • Spear-shaped (hastata): Pointed, with barbs
  • Subulate (subulata): Awl-shaped with a tapering point
  • Sword-shaped (ensiformis): Long, thin, pointed
  • Trifoliate, ternate (trifoliata): Divided into three leaflets
  • Tripinnate (tripinnata): Pinnately compound in which each leaflet is itself bipinnate
  • Truncate (truncata): With a squared off end
  • Unifoliate (unifoliata): with a single leaf
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