Plant Form and Function: The Leaf

Burgos, Mary Christelle, Intong, Mel Angelie C.,

Magpayo, Jemark T., Mamoribid, Mohammad Teo,
& Pal, Maria Althea I.

University of the Philippines Mindanao

Department of Food Science and Chemistry
BS Food Technology

Abstract
This qualitative experimental study aimed to use observations and descriptions in differentiating monocot
leaf from dicot leaf. Two properties of leaf were observed. One is the external morphology of the leaf and
the other is the anatomy of the leaf. In external morphology, 4 characteristics of the leaf were observed.
The following are shape of the leaf, margins of the leaf, leaf vein and venation patterns, and leaf
arrangement. The internal characteristics such as dermis, vascular bundles, mesophyll, and chloroplasts
were observed in the anatomy of the leaf. To obtain the objectives of the activity, the proponents used
crossed section of leaves and compound microscope and were asked to observe the internal and external
parts of different leaves found in the CSM garden. The tool used to analyze the data was qualitative
description. After the observation, the proponents were able to distinguish the external morphology and
anatomy of the monocot and dicot leaves. The results showed that monocot leaves are commonly long
and narrow while dicot seeds are mostly oval-shaped. Leaves margin may be classified as entire, pointed,
serrated, and parted. For monocots, patterns of veins are parallel but for dicots, it may be palmate or
pinnate. Leaves arrangement may be simple or compound.

Keywords: Anatomy, dicot, external morphology, observation, monocot

I. Introduction number and their arrangement of their leaves

Plants in general are an essential and
invaluable constituent of the ecosystem. Plants
are used as a source of medicine from ancient
times to the present (Jamshidi-Kia, 2018).
However, identifying the plants correctly is a
challenging activity. Hence, identifying them
based on their physical characteristics
demonstrated by leaves serves as unique
identifiers for plants (Ahmed, 2016).
In addition, plants are identified and
categorize based on their color, size, shape, and
structure collectively known as morphology.
Morphology is the study of size, shape, and
structure of animals, plants, and microorganism
and the relationship of each constituent parts
(Villee, 2019). Moreover, plants are basically
categorized as either a monocotyledonous or a
dicotyledonous plant. The classification is based
on their morphological differences on their
(Conklin, 2018).
The proponents of the experiment
investigated the external morphology of leaf of
monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants, as
well as their anatomy. As such they specifically
examine the leaf based on leaf venation pattern,
leaf shape, margin, and leaf composition.
II. Methodology
The proponents under the J-1L section
of the University of the Philippines Mindanao
examined the form and functions of plants on
September 25, 2019. The biology laboratory and
garden of the College of Mathematics (CSM)
were the place of the activity. They have used a
compound microscope, cross sections of leaves,
stem, and roots, and bought various plants
required by the instructor. The proponents have
examined the roots and other shoot systems of
the plant, however, for the purpose of this
science paper, the steps of observing the leaf
shoot system will only be stated.
To obtain the objectives of the activity,
they have examined the following:
Morphology of the Leaf. The
proponents were tasked to examine and indicate
the species of a representative monocot and
dicot plant. They went to the CSM garden and Fig. 1.2. Pandanus tectorius
looked for dicot and monocot plant to observe
their leaves. The following parts were then The leaves shown above display a long
illustrated and labeled later: midrib, vein, blade, and narrow shape which is common among
and petriole. With the parts identified, the monocot leaves. The arrangement of the
proponents have recorded the difference venation of their leaves is often parallel to each
between the monocot and dicot leaf. other.
Anatomy of the Leaf. After venturing
in the garden, the proponents went inside the Dicot Leaves
biology laboratory to observe cross sections of
leaves. A section of a dicot leaf was first
examined then the proponents have located,
illustrated, and labeled the following parts:
upper epidermis, lower epidermis, vascular
bundle, palisade mesophyll layer, and the
spongy mesophyll layer.
A monocot leaf cross section was then Fig.1.3 Thunbergia grandiflora
examined with the following parts located,
illustrated, and labeled: upper epidermis,
vascular bundle, and the mesophyll layer.

III. Results and Discussion

After the conduct of the observation, the
students took images of the leaves that they have
observed. This section discusses the results
obtained from the observation. Fig. 1.4 Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.

External Morphology of the Leaf The examples of dicot leaves shown

This section provides examples of
different monocot and dicot leaves.
Monocot Leaves
Fig. 1.1. Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus)
above have different characteristics. Figure 1.3
shows the leaf having a toothed margin, along
with a palmate venation. Figure 1.4 shows a leaf
having an entire margin wherein the edges of the
leaves are smooth. It also showcases a pinnate
venation, wherein the smaller veins branch out
from the midrib.
The gathered data shows that leaves
have specific characteristics that differentiate
them from each other. They are distinguished
according to their shapes, margins, venations,
and composition.
Shape of leaves. In monocot plants, the
symmetry of the leaves is isobilateral, meaning
the shape of the leaves is often long and narrow Anatomy of the Leaf
with parallel veins. This section of the paper discusses the
In dicot plants, the leaves are usually parts of a dicot leaf and a monocot leaf.
round to oval, and are comparatively smaller.
They are said to have a dorsiventral symmetry Monocot Leaf
(Supriya, n.d.). Other common leaf shapes are
truncate, elliptical, loncolate, and linear.
Leaf margins. The edges or the margins
of the leaves has 4 major classifications (Nix,
2019): (1) when the edges of the leaves are
smooth and even, it is classified as entire; (2) the
entire edge of the leaf is pointed, it is known as
toothed or serrated margin; (3) edges of the
leaves have distinct protrusion which may be
either rounded or pointed, it is then called as
lobate; lastly, (4) a leaf that has many lobes that
goes halfway to the midrib is classified as parted Figure 1.5 Monocot leaf
margin. Magnification: 100x (LPO)
Leaf veins and venation pattern. There Figure 1.5 shows the image obtained of
are two classifications of leaf venation patterns the monocot leaf. The monocot leaf only has a
in dicot leaves. Leaves of dicots have veins that single layer of mesophyll (Pyke, 2012). In the
are branched. Sometimes the veins branch out on image shown above, the mesophyll is believed to
either side of the leaf from a middle vein, this is be the green clusters in the middle. The vascular
called pinnate arrangement (Grabowski, 2015). bundle of the monocot cross-section is the part
Another distinction of a leaf with pinnate in the middle near the green-clusters of
venation is the prominent center called the mesophyll. The upper epidermis of the leaf is the
midrib, wherein the other smaller veins would layer at the edge of the cross section.
branch out from (Nix, 2019). Other dicots have
veins that branch out from a single vein, this is Dicot Leaf
called the palmate arrangement. The veins
originate from a center point called “leaf
petiole” where other smaller veins branch
outwards (Nix, 2019).
On the other hand, monocot leaves have
parallel arrangement. This means that the veins
of the leaves of a monocot pant are parallel to
each other.
Leaf arrangement or composition.
There are two types of leaf arrangement, simple
and compound. A simple leaf is said to be
Figure 1.6 Dicot leaf prepared slide
simple when the leaf is joined to a stem without (HPO)
any subdivisions in them (Rachna, 2018). Magnification: 100x (LPO)
Compound leaf, on the other hand, has
many leaflets that are connected to the stem Figure 1.6 shows the cross section of a
through a petiole. Compound leaves show the dicot leaf. The dicot leaf is surrounded by upper
complete division of the leaf blades along the and lower epidermis cells both in its uppermost
midvein. Compound leaves are further described and lowermost regions, respectively. The
as pinnate, palmate, and doubly compound (Nix, vascular bundle could be found at the centremost
2019). part of the cross-section, surrounded by the
spongy mesophyll cells. The mesophyll contains
several numbers of chloroplasts and could be
found in two regions within the dicot leaf.
Dicotyledonous leaves have two types of
mesophyll cell; palisade mesophyll and spongy
mesophyll. Palisade mesophyll cells are
elongated in shape and formed beneath the upper
epidermis; on the other hand, the spongy
mesophyll cells are located from the middle
layer to the lower epidermis (Pyke, 2012). In
this case, the palisade mesophyll could be
located beneath the left side of the upper
epidermis while the spongy mesophyll is in the
middle of the dicot leaf.
IV. Conclusion
The proponents were able to distinguish
the external morphology of monocot and dicot
leaves. They were able to classify the leaves
according to their shape, margins, veins and
venation, and composition. The shape of a leaf is
long and narrow when it is a monocot and round
to oval when it is a dicot. Leaves' margins are
further divided to 4 types: entire, serrated, lobate
and parted. For monocots, the arrangement of
their veins and venation is parallel but for dicots,
it's either in pinnate or palmate arrangement.
Lastly, the leaves' composition is either a simple
or compound.
The proponents were also able to
identify the anatomy of monocot and dicot
leaves. They were able to identify the
mesophyll, vascular bundle, and the upper
epidermis of a monocot leaf. They were also
able to identify the upper and lower epidermis,
the vascular bundle, and the palisade and spongy
mesophyll layer of the dicot leaf.
Jamshidi-Kia, F. a.-K. (2018). Medicinal plants:
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Nix, S. (2019). How to Identify a Tree Using
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https://www.thoughtco.com
Phillip A. Conklin, J. S. (2018). On the
mechanisms of development in monocot
and eudicot leaves. Ithaca, USA: New
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Pyke, K. (2012). Mesophyll. In eLS, (Ed.).
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Rachna, C. (2018). Difference Between Simple
and Compound Leaves. Retrieved from:
https://biodifferences.com
Supriya, N. (n.d.). Difference between Monocot
and Dicot leaf. Retrieved from:
https://biologyreader.com
Villee, C. A. (2019, February 21). Retrieved
from Encyclopaedia Britannica:
https://www.britannica.com/science/mor
phology-biology

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to Tell the Difference. Retrieved from:
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