LEAF SHAPE

In botany, the following terms are used to describe the 'shape of plant leaves':

★ Acicular (''acicularis''): Slender and pointed, needle-like

★ Acuminate (''acuminata''): Tapering to a long point

★ Aristate (''aristata''): Ending in a stiff, bristle-like point

★ Bipinnate (''bipinnata''): Each leaflet also pinnate

★ Cordate (''cordata''): Heart-shaped, stem attaches to cleft

★ Cuneate (''cuneata''): Triangular, stem attaches to point

★ Deltoid (''deltoidea''): Triangular, stem attaches to side

★ Digitate (''digitata''): Divided into finger-like lobes

★ Elliptic (''elliptica''): Oval, with a short or no point

★ Falcate (''falcata''): sickle-shaped

★ Flabellate (''flabellata''): Semi-circular, or fan-like

★ Hastate (''hastata''): shaped like a spear point, with flaring pointed lobes at the base

★ Lance-shaped, lanceolate (''lanceolata''): Long, wider in the middle

★ Linear (''linearis''): Long and very narrow

★ Lobed (''lobata''): With several points

★ Obcordate (''obcordata''): Heart-shaped, stem attaches to tapering point

★ Oblanceolate (''oblanceolata''): Top wider than bottom

★ Oblong (''oblongus''): Having an elongated form with slightly parallel sides

★ Obovate (''obovata''): Teardrop-shaped, stem attaches to tapering point

★ Obtuse (''obtusus''): With a blunt tip

★ Orbicular (''orbicularis''): Circular

★ Ovate (''ovata''): Oval, egg-shaped, with a tapering point

★ Palmate (''palmata''): Divided into many lobes

★ Pedate (''pedata''): Palmate, with cleft lobes

★ Peltate (''peltata''): Rounded, stem underneath

★ Perfoliate (''perfoliata''): Stem through the leaves

★ Pinnate (''pinnata''): Two rows of leaflets

★
★ odd-pinnate : pinnate with a terminal leaflet

★
★ paripinnate, even-pinnate : pinnate lacking a terminal leaflet

★ Pinnatisect (''pinnatifida''): Cut, but not to the midrib (it would be pinnate then)

★ Reniform (''reniformis''): Kidney-shaped

★ Rhomboid (''rhomboidalis''): Diamond-shaped

★ Round (''rotundifolia''): Circular

★ Sagittate (''sagittata''): Arrowhead-shaped

★ Spatulate, spathulate (''spathulata''): Spoon-shaped

★ Spear-shaped (''hastata''): Pointed, with barbs

★ Subulate (''subulata''): Awl-shaped with a tapering point

★ Sword-shaped (''ensiformis''): Long, thin, pointed

★ Trifoliate, ternate (''trifoliata''): Divided into three leaflets

★ Tripinnate (''tripinnata''): Pinnately compound in which each leaflet is itself bipinnate

★ Truncate (''truncata''): With a squared off end

★ Unifoliate (''unifoliata''): with a single leaf