FnR^fs OF riiE base 



1S3 



ac'umiiiation is preceded hy an abrupt eoiitractioii, it is distiii<,Miislied as 

 beiiiji: AI)riiptly Aeuininate (Figs. 511 and o\'.'}). 



If the narrowing be very gradual and not jjreeeded by an abrupt 

 eontraetion, the ajjex is said to be Tapering (Fig. 514); if still more 

 drawn out, Attenuate. If the point of the leaf be extremely abrupt 

 and very small, it is Mueronate when soft and herbaceous, Cuspidate 

 when hard and stift', like a tooth. 



Fig. 51G. Dioilalia leaf, with produced base, rounded apex, reticulate venation. 517. Apiculatc 

 apex. 518. Cuneate base (white-oak). 519. Cordate and produced base (violet). 520. Sagittate 

 base Wolygonum). 521. Aurioulate base (Aster). 522. Hastate base {Rutnex), 523. Oblique base 

 (Datura). 



Any of the above-mentioned forms may be either Acute, when the 

 ultimate apex is sharp (Figs. 508, 510, and 514), Obtuse when not so 

 (Figs. 511 and 513), Blunt when very obtuse (Fig. 515), or even Hounded 

 (Fig. 51(;). 



x\ leaf which has the midrib only extended into a bristle-shajjed 

 point is called Apiculate (Fig. 517), and this condition can apply to a 

 cordate as well as to other forms of the apex. 



Forms of the Base.— The special forms of the base of the lcaf-i)la(le 

 yiehl a correspondingly large number of* terms. Tlu> terms cordate, 

 truncate, rounded, blunt, obtuse, acute, acuminate, and abruptly 



