24 BOTANY OF L,A SALLE COUNTY. 



Leaves are flat, thin, g-enerally green bodies attached 

 to the stem or branches of the plant. They vary won- 

 derfully in shape, sizeand color. 



We will consider a few of the many forms of leaf. 



If it is made up of one piece or part, like that of the 

 apple, plum, sunflower, beet, dandelion; &c, it is a sim- 

 ple leaf. 



If made up of two or more pieces or parts like the 

 leaf of the rose, pea, clover, potato, tomato, bean, 

 locust, hickory and many others, it is called a com- 

 pound leaf . 



If of three pieces like the clover, bean, &c, it is 

 trifoliate. 



If of five or six pieces and shaped like the hand it is 

 palmately foliate. 



If of several leaves arranged on both sides a stem as 

 in the rose, pea, locust, it is pinnate. 



Pinnate leaves may be made up of an odd or an even 

 number of leaflets; if of an odd number there is a leaf 

 at the end of the stem, as in the walnut, hickory, 

 tomato; if of an even number the stem ends abruptly 

 or is continued, as in the pea, in a tendril, by which 

 the plant sustains itself. 



A leaf that is widest at the apex or outer end and 

 tapers gradually to the base so as to be wedg-e-shape, 

 is called cuneate. 



Leaves which are wider than long, and shaped like 

 a kidney, are called reniform. 



A leaf that is diamond shaped is called rhomboid. 



A leaf having- more than three sides is polygonal. 



If shaped like a violin or fiddle, it is panduriform. 



If cut and toothed, seppinnatifid leaf has a larg-e lobe 

 at the apex, it is lyrate. 



If the margin of a leaf is made up of small curves, it 

 is sinuate; if of short, regular curves, forming' low, 



