Leaf Shapes (original) (raw)

Plants have leaves in many different shapes - the thicker the book you refer to, the more leaf shapes they seem to find, but here are some of the basic ones.

Sometimes the Latin name will indicate the leaf shape, so I've put the Latin specific epithet in as well. This will help you identify a plant (if it has that epithet in its name, that's what the leaf will look like), and, on the other hand, if it has that shape leaf, it's possible its Latin name will contain that descriptive adjective.

example of ensiform or sword leaf shape Sword-shaped_(ensiformis)_Long, thin, pointed example of lanceolate or lance leaf shape Lance-shaped_(lanceolata)_Long, wider in the middle example of ovate or oval leaf shape Ovate_(ovata)_Oval, with a tapering point example of elliptic leaf shape Elliptic_(elliptica)_Oval, with a short point example of round leaf shape Round_(rotundifolia)_Circular example of cordate or heart-shaped leaf Cordate_(cordata)_Heart-shaped
example of oblanceolate leaf shape Oblanceolate_(oblanceolata)_Top wider than bottom example of spathulate or spoon-shaped leaf Spathulate_(spathulata)_Spoon-shaped example of rhomboid or diamond leaf shape Rhomboid_(rhomboidalis)_Diamond-shaped example of lobed leaf shape Lobed_(lobata)_With several points example of saggitate or spear leaf shape Spear-shaped_(hastata)_Pointed, with barbs example of pinnatisect leaf shape Pinnatisect_(pinnatifida)_Cut, but not to the midrib
example of pinnate leaf shape Pinnate_(pinnata)_2 rows of leaflets example of bipinnate leaf shape Bipinnate_(bipinnata)_Each leaflet also pinnate example of tripinnate leaf shape Tripinnate_(tripinnata)_Each leaflet divided into 3 example of trifoilate or trefoil leaf shape Trifoliate_(trifoliata)_Divided into 3 leaflets example of palmate leaf shape Palmate_(palmata)_Divided into many lobes example of digitate or hand leaf shape Digitate_(digitata)_Divided into 5 lobes
example of opposite leaves Opposite_(oppositifolia)_Leaves opposite one another example of alternate leaves Alternate_(alternifolia)_Arranged alternately example of eperfoliate leaf Perfoliate_(perfoliata)_Stem through the leaves example of peltate leaf Peltate_(peltata)_Rounded, stem underneath example of whorled leaves WhorledIn circles round the stem example of leaf rosette RosetteLeaves in close rings

Often a single plant will have leaves of several different shapes, so any description has to be taken as an indication of what you can expect to find on a particular plant, rather than a description of what they will look like. I have one book that uses phrases like 'ovate-lanceolate to obovately-cordate', but I prefer to keep it simple, and accept that most of the time the leaves will be fairly variable but roughly correspond to a basic shape.