LEAVES

I. GENERAL OVERVIEW A. Most physiologically active plant organ B. Photosynthetic organ C. Plants produce a lot of leaves 1. Maple 1 m in diameter - 100,000 covering 2000 m2 2. Oak = 700,000 3. Elm = 5 million per season II. EXTERNAL STRUCTURE A. Simple: 1. Blade 2. Petiole 3. Some leaves are sessile (no petiole) B. Compound: 1. Pinnately 2. Leaflets 3. Rachis 4. Palmately C. Peltate: 1. Petiole attached to middle of blade

III. INTERNAL STRUCTURE A. Epidermis 1. Transparent usually not photosynthetic 2. Hairs and trichomes 3. Waxy cuticle 4. Stomata a) Only about 1% of surface b) Usually more on lower surface depending on leaf orientation c) Guard cells have chloroplasts d) On surface, sunken, in crypts, surrounded by hairs (diagram) e) Dicots = scattered randomly (diagram) f) Monocots in parallel rows 5. Bulliform cells (diagram) a) Found in rows in grasses b) Allow leaf to fold or roll c) Function in water conservation B. Vascular tissue 1. Xylem and phloem form strands called veins 2. Fibers 3. Phloem on bottom, xylem on top. Why 4. Most veins surrounded by parenchyma cells forming bundle sheath a) These cells do not contain chloroplasts except in C4 monocots b) Act like root endodermis 5. Dicots have netted veins; Monocots have parallel veins 6. Minute minor veins end blindly and service about 30 cells
IV. Ground Tissue AKA: Mesophyll A. Contains sclerenchyma (usually sclereids), storage parenchyma and

chlorenchyma B. Chlorenchyma cells are photosynthetic cells and arranged in two layers in horizontally located lvs C. Palisade mesophyll 1. Found on upper part of leaf 2. Columnar one or more rows a) of photosynthesis D. Spongy mesophyll 1. Found on lower portion of leaf
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2. Photosynthetic aerenchyma 3. Are large irregular shaped cells containing chloroplasts 4. Large intercellular spaces (10 -70 % of volume) a) Large surface area for gas exchange
E. Uniform mesophyll found in vertically oriented lvs

V. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL OF VARIATION A. Light 1. Presence or absence - chlorophyll 2. Intensity a) Sun vs Shade 3. Quality a) Red vs Far-red (1) Sun vs Shade 4. Daylength a) Kalanchoe (1) SD = short succulent sessile leaves (2) LD = large, thin, lobed leaves w/petioles B. Moisture 1. Mesophyte: 2. Xerophyte: Small, thick, few intercellular spaces, thick cuticle, hairy, sunken stomata, supporting tissue. 3. Hydrophyte: Large thin leaves, thin cuticle, poorly developed mesophyll, little support tissue, little xylem.

VI. LEAF MODIFICATIONS A. B. C. D. E. F. G. VII. A. B. C. D. Tendrils: support Stipules: photosynthetic, become spines, or tendrils Spines: protection Bud scales: desiccation Insect trapping leaves Cotyledons: food storage, photosynthetic Bracts: floral leaves LEAF DEFENSES

Chemical toxins: cyanogenic toxins, alkaloids, photosenitizers Life-cycle alteration: arrest insect development, abnormal growth Digestion inhibitors: produce enzymes that interfere with digestion Phytoallexins: defend against microbial and fungal attack by inhibiting spore germination and interfering with cellulose digestion E. Hire employees: Acacia use ants for protection and provide home in hollow spines. VIII. A. B. C. D. E. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE Food, spices & drinks Dyes Fibers Drugs Wax