THE COMPOUND LEAF 



191 



they are pinnately or palmately compound. The question is to be 

 decided in accordance with the point at which disarticulation of the 

 terminal leaflet occurs. If palmate, the base of the blade must be the 

 point at which the three petioles separate, so that when disarticulation 

 occurs no rachis will remain extending beyond the point of attachment 

 of the two lateral leaflets (Fig. 548). In the pinnate form such a rachis 



Fig. 552. Triternate leaf. 553. Pedate leaf (violet). 554. Pari-pinnate leaflet of Geditschia. 555. 

 Impari-pinnate leaf of rose. 556. Millifoliolate loaf of Achilldea 557. Interruptedly-pinnate leaf 

 of Aqrimonia. 658. Runcinate leaf of dandelion. 559. Lyrate leaf of barbarea. 



(Fig. 549, a), although frequently very short, does exist. In the family 

 Legiiminosae, the question of whether a leaf is pinnately or palmately 

 trifoliolate is of fundamental importance in classification. 



A three-parted palmately compound or divided leaf is called Ternate^ 

 a five-parted on e Qu jaate, a seven-parted one geptate., 



A palmatifid (or palmate) leaf, with very narrow divisions, is called 

 Pedate (Fig. 553). 



