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Part 2: Botanical terminology

4. Leaf shapes

Different leaf shapes are given names so that botanists and horticulturists can discuss plant characteristics, and so that plant keys can be used for identification.

A few leaf shapes:

Leaf shape similar to that of the spade symbol in a deck of cards

Cordate

Oval shaped leaf, larger at bottom with pointed top

Ovate

Leaf shape similar to a feather quil l pen

Signature

Activity

Look up on the internet and sketch the outline of the following leaf shapes in your notebook:

  • Obovate
  • Lanceolate
  • Linear
  • Peltate
  • Oblong

Useful website: Glossary of leaf morphology - Wikipedia

Leaves also have different shaped edges. Some have simple edges with no lumps and bumps, these are called ‘entire’ leaves.

A few leaf edge types:

Leaf with serrated edge

Serate

Leaf with patterned edges

Crenate

Leaf with sharp edges, holly shaped

Spinose

Activity

Look up on the internet and sketch the edges of the following leaf types in your notebook:

  • Undulate
  • Sinuate
  • Dentate
  • Lobate