THE LEAF 
53 
cartilaginous , membranous , wavy or undulate (as in holly), curled or 
crisped (as in sea-kale), spiny (Gr), glandular (with sticky hairs or 
glands ; Ge), ciliate (with fine projecting hairs), &c. If the margin has 
small teeth pointing forwards, it is serrate (B), if pointing outwards, 
dentate (Gr) ; if the teeth are rounded but the notches sharp, the margin 
is crenate (C), if both teeth and notches are rounded, it is sinuate (D). 
If the depth of the divisions is equal to J the distance from midrib to 
margin, i.e. if the incisions are conspicuous in proportion to the size of 
the blade, other terms come into use. If the notching is from J to \ 
the depth, the leaf is fid (D), if J to f, - partite , if over f , -sect. Prefixes 
of pinnati- or palmati - are always used before these terms to express 
the particular form of notching, which depends upon the venation. The 
portions into which the leaf is thus divided are termed lobes or segments. 
Special terms are sometimes employed for such leaves as mustard ( lyrate , 
the end lobe very large), dandelion (runcinate, the lobes pointing back- 
wards), hellebore ( pedate ), &c. 
The apex of the leaf may be acute (pointed ; A), obtuse (blunt ; C), 
acuminate (tapering in hollow curves to a long fine point ; B), emar- 
ginate (notched), retuse (broadly notched ; G d), mucronate (with a large 
stiff point on a nearly straight edge ; G b), apiculate (do. with small 
point ; F), truncate or praemorse (with broad, straight end, as if bitten 
off), cirrhose (tendrilled), &c. 
The surface of the leaf, as of other parts, may be glabrous (without 
hairs), pilose (soft, scattered hairs), downy or ptibescent (fine, soft hairs), 
hairy (coarser hairs), hispid (rough, bristly hairs), tomentose (with a 
cottony felt of hairs), woolly, glandular- hairy \ scabrous (rough), smooth , 
prickly , glaucous (with blueish waxy gloss), reticulate (netted), rugose 
(ridged or wrinkled), squarrose (roughly scurfy), &c. Hairs may be 
spreading or appressed (flattened down), simple (unbranched), glandular 
{Ge), bifid , stellate (like a starfish), squai?iate (scaly), &c. ; prickles may 
be straight or curved, bent backwards (retrorse), &c. The leaf may be 
dotted with oil-glands, or variegated in colour, green, red, &c. ; frequently 
occurring shades are fulvous (tawny), rubiginose (rust-coloured), &c. 
The texture may be thin or herbaceous , coriaceous (leathery), succulent or 
fleshy , 7?iembranous or scarious (thin, dry, not green, and flexible or stiff 
respectively), &c. 
Leaves may further be evergreen or deciduous (falling in winter) ; in 
the latter case they may be articulate (cut off by a special absciss layer 
and falling early in winter), or non-articulate (hanging on to the stem, 
though dead, for an indefinite period, as in beech hedges, oak, &c.). 
The vernation , or folding of the leaves in the bud, is described like the 
aestivation of flower-buds (q.v.) ; the following terms are also used to 
describe the folding of the individual leaf, conduplicate (folded length- 
wise as in oak), plicate (folded several times; G a), involute (margins 
rolled inwards), revolute (outwards), reclinate (apex bent down to base), 
convolute (leaf rolled spirally, as in Musa) ; conduplicate leaves over- 
lapping younger ones thus < < > > , as in Iris, are called equitant. 
When a character is not accurately described by one of the terms 
given, but is rather half-way beween two, both are used ; thus a leaf 
may be linear-lanceolate or ovate-cordate. Sub-, meaning ‘ nearly,’ is 
often used as a prefix to adjectives, eg. subsessile, subacute. As an 
