FORMS OF SIMPLE LEAVES. 



89 



comes lanceolate (lancea, a lance). If the middle veins only exceed the 

 others slightly, and the ends are convex, the leaf is either rounded 

 (rotundatus), as in fig. 179, elliptical (fig. 177), oval (fig. 164), or 

 oblong (fig. 165). If the veins at the base are longest, the leaf is 

 ovate or egg-shaped, as in Chickweed (fig. 167), and if those at the 

 apex are longest, the leaf is obovate, or inversely egg-shaped. Leaves 

 are cuneate (cunms, a wedge) or wedge-shaped, in Saxifraga (fig. 170) ; 

 spathulate, or spatula-like, having a broad rounded apex, and tapering 

 down to the stalk- in the Daisy (fig. 163) ; subulate (fig. 182), 

 narrow and tapering like an awl (subula) ; acuminate, or drawn out 

 into a long point, as in Ficus religiosa (fig. 174), mucronate, with a 

 hard stiff point or mucro at the apex (figs. 175 and 158). When 



the parenchyma is deficient at the apex so as to form two rounded 

 lobes, the leaf is obcordate or inversely heart-shaped ; when the 

 deficiency is very slight, the leaf is called cTna/rginate (fig. 158) as 

 having a portion taken out of the margin ; when the apex is merely 

 flattened or slightly depressed (fig. 172), the leaf is retuse (retusus, 

 blunt) ; and when the apex 

 ends abruptly in a straight 

 margin, as in the Tulip tree 

 (fig. 178), the leaf is trun- 

 cate. When the venation is 

 prolonged downwards at an 

 obtuse angle with the midrib, 

 and rounded lobes are formed, 

 as in Dog-violety the leaf is 

 cordate or heart-shaped (fig. 168), or kidney-shaped (reniform) when the 

 apex is rounded (fig. 176), as in Asarum. When the lobes are prolonged 



Fig. 170. Cuneate or wedged-shaped leaf of Saxifraga, ending in an abrupt or truncate 

 manner, and toothed or dentate at the apex. Fig. 171. Perfoliate leaf of Bupleurum 

 perfoliatum, formed by lobes uniting at the baae on the opposite side of the stem from 

 that to which the leaf is attached. Fig. 172. Eetuse leaf, i.e. slightly depressed at the 

 apex. Margin slightly waved. Fig. 173. Ovate five-ribbed leaf. Fig. 174. Rounded 

 acuminated leaf of Ficus religiosa, with the margin crenate or slightly sinuous. Fig. 176. 

 Sub-ovate, retuse, mucronate leaf. Fig. 176. Reniform or kidney-shaped entire leaf of 



Asarum. Radiating venation. Fig. 177. EUiptioal and-somewhat lanceolate leaf ; three- 

 ribbed. Fig. 178. Three-lobed, truncate, or abrupt leaf of Liriodendron tulipiferum. 



Fig. 176. 



Fig. 177. Fig. 178. 



