56 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



to have a new meaning for us. Plants frequently lose all 

 traces of their early leaves, but the first leaf on each branch 

 of the Rhus shown in Fig. 64 serves to remind us of the plant's 

 simple habits in early life. 



Attempts have been made to name the different shapes of 

 leaves. To name them all would be a difficult task, as no two 

 leaves are just the same shape. 



Aside from the general outline, leaves vary in their margins. 

 They may be entire, or serrate (saw toothed), dentate (toothed), 

 crenate or scalloped, repand, undulate, and so on. 



The diagrams of forms and margins of leaves mentioned 

 by Linnaeus are shown in Fig. 65. You can find other shapes. 



