Internal Structure of Leaf

There are three distinct regions of leaf:

 Epidermis
 Mesophyll
 Vascular bundles
Epidermis:
It is the outermost layer of the leaf and is present in the lower and upper surfaces. The upper
epidermis contains parenchymatous cells, stomata, and chloroplast. The maximum amount of
stomata are present at the lower epidermis. A waxy substance is released by the layer known as
the cuticle.
Mesophyll cells:
It is the middle layer that is made up of two types of cells: palisade and spongy parenchyma.
The palisade cells contain chloroplasts and are active in photosynthesis while spongy cells are
oval in shape and are arranged irregularly with air spaces.

Vascular Bundles:
These are present in scatter form in spongy parenchyma and can be seen in veins and midribs
of leaves.
Leaves are the structure that is responsible for photosynthesis, a process that helps in the
production of food and to maintain the level of oxygen in the environment. They also maintain
the water level as the presence of stomata keeps a check on the rate of transpiration. In many
plants, they get a modification for different purposes like in desert plants they convert into
thorns to prevent water loss.