LABORATORY ACTIVITY 6

Plant Morphology
Leaf
Paul Maverick Z. Quisao
BS Pharmacy 1
 1. What is the function of the
epidermis of a leaf?

The epidermis is a protoderm-derived layer of cells that

covers a plant's stem, root, leaf, flower, fruit, and seed
components. Mechanical injury, water loss, and infection are
all protected by the epidermis and its waxy cuticle. Various
epidermal cells have been engineered to control transpiration,
improve water absorption, and produce chemicals.

2. What are the types of leaves?

There are two types of leaves, which are simple and

compound. These leaves are divided into groups depending on
their shape, size, placement on the stem, flowering, and non-
flowering plant leaves, and other physical characteristics.

Simple leaves - The leaf is said to be simple when only one

lamina is attached to the main stem by a petiole. A basic leaf
can be carved to any depth except the midrib or petiole.
Guava leaves, mango, and maple syrup are just a few
examples.

Compound leaves - A leaf with two or more leaflets is known

as a compound leaf. The leaf's midrib is branched into
different leaflets and joined by a single petiole in a complex
leaf. Palm leaves, desert cotton, and poison ivy are other
examples.
 3. Describe a leaf blade.

It's also known as the lamina. It's usually wide and flat.
Photosynthesis takes place at this layer. It has a prominent
midrib, which is the major vein, in the center of the leaf blade.
It also has a core mesophyll tissue that is surrounded on both
sides by the upper and lower epidermis. Leaf vein patterns are
commonly associated with plant species.

4. Describe a midrib of a leaf.

A midrib can be found towards the back of a leaf and serves

as a storage area for the stomata. A leaf's blade is the thin,
enlarged structure on either side of the midrib. The midrib
assists in maintaining the leaf's upright position as well as
providing wind protection. It's the main vein, and it's made up
of vascular bundles that carry food, nutrients, and water. It
also makes it possible for the leaf to be exposed to sunlight.

5. How is a leaf organized?

A leaf's blade is usually organized with one main vein going

down the middle. The midrib is the name for this vein. The
veins, petiole, and midrib all aid in positioning the blade so
that it faces the light source. Flowering plant veins can be
found in a variety of designs.
 6. Differentiate the midrib of a
monocot leaf from a dicot leaf.

Monocots normally do not have a midrib, and the blade

thickness is more uniform. The big veins of monocot leaves
are cut at a 90-degree angle in a cross-section because they
are parallel to one another. Dicot leaves, on the other hand,
have a thick midrib and a thin Lamina. Monocots normally do
not have a midrib, and the blade thickness is more uniform.
Mesophyll tissues are arranged in a Palisade pattern in most
Dicots.

7. Differentiate a monocot from a

dicot leaf.

Monocotyledonous plants have narrow, elongated leaves with

parallel venation, which is used to distinguish them from
dicots. Monocotyledons have only one cotyledon. On each of
the surfaces of monocot leaves, there is an equal number of
stomata. Dicotyledonous leaves, on the other hand, are
frequently rounded with reticulate venation and are
structurally and anatomically distinct from monocotyledonous
leaves. Plants with dicot leaves are known as dicots. Within the
seed of a dicot, there are two cotyledons.
 8. Compare a pallisade layer from a
spongy layer of a mesophyll.

The spongy mesophyll tissue contains cells that are found

beneath the palisade tissue and above the lower epidermis. All
mesophyll cells also have a large number of chloroplasts,
which allow the leaf to perform photosynthetic carbon
assimilation. In comparison to the palisade layer cells, the
spongy layer cells are spherical or irregularly shaped
(isodiametric) in some plants. Palisade mesophyll cells are
long, elongated cells that form a layer beneath the epidermis.
To enhance light absorption, the palisade cells are tightly
packed together.

8. How do vein patterns on leaves

differ?

The venation patterns of monocots and dicots are distinct. In

monocots, the veins travel in straight lines over the length of
the leaf, never intersecting. The veins of dicot leaves, on the
other hand, have a net-like appearance, generating a pattern
called reticulate venation.
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