Leaf shape

Chart illustrating leaf morphology terms

cordate leaf

elliptic leaf

deltoid leaf

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