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