THE LEAF 



35 



indentations or teeth are rounded at their apices, as 

 in beng-chi {Flacourtia), pathar-kucha {Bryophyllum 

 calycinum) ; dentate when the teeth are pointed and 

 not directed either towards the apex or the base of the 

 leaf, as in rakta-kambal {Nymphcea rubra); serrate 

 when the pointed teeth are directed towards the apex 



of the leaf, as in jaba 

 {Hibiscus rosa-sinen- 



Sis), (fig. 31); RETRO- 



Fig;. 31.— Serrate Leaves of Jaba or Chinese 

 Rose (^Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) 



a, a, Lateral stipules. 



Fig. 32, — Acuminate Leaf 

 of Peepul (aswathwa) {Ficus 

 religiosa) 



SERRATE when the teeth are directed towards the 

 base of the leaf (see fig". 29, 14). 



The apex of a leaf is said to be obtuse when it 

 is rounded and blunt, as in Banyan ; acute when it 

 is pointed, as in Mango; acuminate or caudate 

 when it is pointed and long, as in Peepul trees 

 (fig. 32); emarginate when instead of being pointed 

 it is indented, as in the leaflets of amrul (see fig. 50); 

 MUCRONATE (sce fig. 2g, 14), when the obtuse apex 



