SHAPES OF LEAVES 



145 



rotund or orbicular 



if nearly circular, as 

 those of the Sacred- 

 lotus (NELUMBIUM 

 SPECIOSUM) ; 



cuneate if broadest 

 beyond the middle and 

 tapering with nearly 

 straight sides towards the 

 base, like a wedge, as 

 SIDA CARPINIFOLIA (fig. 



32); 



deltoid similar to cu- 

 neate but broader, as the 

 leaflets of ERYTHRINA 

 INDICA (fig. 11) ; 



falcate if not sym- 

 metrical, but curved side- 

 ways, as the ordinary 

 leaves of EUCALYPTUS. 

 The apex, or point, of a leaf is described as 

 acuminate if long and pointed as in Ficus RELI- 

 GIOSA, the Peepul or Bo-tree (fig. 33), and in figs. 

 10 and 22 ; 



cuspidate if broad and suddenly pointed in the shape 

 of a cusp, as in HIBISCUS TILIACEUS (fig. 6, p. 41) ; 



acute if sharp but not prolonged, as in PLUMERIA 

 ACUTIFOLIA (fig. 26) ; 



obtuse if blunt, as in the Banyan (FICUS BENGAL* 

 ENSis) ; 



retuse if obtuse and slightly indented (fig. 34) ; 

 emarginate if with a decided notch at the tin; 

 10 



FIG. 30 

 CROTALARIA RUBIGINOSA, 



Willd. 



