Types of tree leaves

How to Identify Trees By Leaf Shape. The shape of a leaf can also give clues when identifying broadleaf tree species. Common leaf identification shapes include ovate (egg shaped), lanceolate (long and narrow), deltoid (triangular), obicular (round) and cordate (heart shaped).

There are three basic types of leaf arrangements found in trees and shrubs: alternate, opposite, and whorled.

There are three main parts of a leaf – Leaf base, leaf lamina, and petiole. There are two different types of leaves – simples leaves and compound leaves. The other types of leaves include acicular, linear, lanceolate, orbicular, elliptical, oblique, centric cordate, etc.

Based on the number of leaflets, the palmately compound leaf is categorized into the following types: i) unifoliate – one leaflet, ii) bifoliate – two leaflets, iii) trifoliate – three leaflets, iv) quadrifoliate – four leaflets and, v) multifoliate – five or more leaflets.

Leaves are classified as either alternate, spiral, opposite, or whorled. Plants that have only one leaf per node have leaves that are said to be either alternate or spiral. Alternate leaves alternate on each side of the stem in a flat plane, and spiral leaves are arranged in a spiral along the stem.

Examples are spinach, lettuce, silverbeet, brussel sprouts, witloof, puha, bok choy, tat soi, tung ho, wong nga baak, cabbage, kale, cavolo nero, watercress, herbs, microgreens and salad greens.

Don’t forget to bookmark the entire slideshow of all 76 leaves (there are too many to fit into one post!). And if you need a more comprehensive collection of leaf types, make sure to check out The Book of Leaves: A Leaf-by-Leaf Guide to Six Hundred of the World’s Great Trees.

But don’t forget that they take up less space, so there must be more- we will assume there are twice as many in the world. So the total of non-tree leaves is about 5.34 x 10^16. Added together, the total estimate of leaves in the world is 1.201 x 10^17, or 120,100,000,000,000,000 leaves.