Northern Ontario Plant Database

Leaf Shapes

The width of each basic leaf shapes can be described as narrowly- or widely-, depending on the degree of modification from the standard shapes. Plants with leaves that have more than one shape are called heterophyllous.

• Scale-like - reduced in size, flat and sharp-pointed or blunt.
• Subulate - awl-shaped, narrow and pointed, rounded in cross section.
• Acicular - needle-like, very narrow and pointed, rounded in cross section.
• Runcinate - oblanceolate with lacerate margins.
• Fan-shaped - a leaf with the blade spreading out in a semi-circle.
• Peltate - a leaf with the petiole attached near the centre of the undersurface of the blade.

• Cordate - heart-shaped, with a pointed apex and 2 rounded basal lobes.
• Obcordate - reverse heart-shaped, with a narrow base and 2 rounded apical lobes.
• Reniform - kidney-shaped, with a broad rounded apex and 2 rounded basal lobes.

• Sagittate - a leaf with pointed basal lobes directed downwards or inwards.
• Hastate - a leaf with pointed basal lobes divergent or directed outwards.
• Auriculate - a leaf with small rounded (ear-like) lobes at the base.
• Lyrate - lyre-shaped, basically oblanceolate, with 2 or > pairs of smaller lower lobes.
• Panduriform - fiddle-shaped, basically oblanceolate, with 2 small lower lobes.