Leaf

Development
By. Iis Nur Asyiah
The Purpose
 Describe the leaf development in
monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous
Leaf primordia, produced by the apical meristem.
The primordium of a dicotyledonous leaf is usually confined to a relatively narrow
sector of the shoot circumference (peg-like structures), monocotyledonous leaf
primordium is initiated and therefore develops around most, if not all, of the shoot
apex (collar-like structures ). ....time interval between P1 and other : plastocron
Cell division is loosely confined to identifiable
meristematic regions in the leaf and it is the differential
activity of these regions that produces different leaf shapes.
At first the apical meristem of the leaf is active and the
leaf elongates, subsequently leaf elongation results from
activity of the intercalary meristem (19c). This meristem
can have a prolonged activity. A horizontally flattened
shape (bifacial or dorsiventral) will result if the marginal
meristems become active (19c), leaf width being increased
by division in the plate meristems (19d).
Fig. 19. c) The meristematic zones of a simple developing leaf seen from above, and d) in
section, e) The same components apply to the leaflet of a compound leaf. Adm: adaxial
meristem. Am: apical meristem (of the leaf). Im: intercalary meristem. Lp: leaf primordium.
Mm: marginal meristem. Pm: plate meristem.
Initial leaf formation begins immediately behind the top
meristem with periclinal divisions (with the division plane
parallel to the surface; red in figure (1) in the subepidermal
cell layers and soon later in the epidermis. After the first
divisions also anticlinal (at right angles to the surface; blue
in figure (1) divisions occur. The result is a small bulge that
will further develop into a leaf. From this point on, leaf
growth differs between monocots and dicots.
In monocots the initial bulge further elongates by mitotic
cell divisions until a certain size is reached (1-4). Then,
overal cell division stops (5). Only cells in a small region
at the base of the leaf further divide (6), i.e. nearly
exclusively in parallel to the leaf base. This is how the
typical longitudinal arrays of epidermal cells and the
parallel venation of monocot leaves arise. Below this
division zone a sheath is formed that surrounds the stem. A
leaf stalk is absent. The opposite side develops into the
leaf blade. Leaf growth may continue without limitation as
long as this meristem exists (7). As a result, grasses can
resume growth after mowing or grazing.
In dicots, the initially formed bulge further elongates by
mitotic cell divisions throughout the bulge (1-5). Then, at
the top of the extended bulge, cells start to divide a single
plane causing the sheath to broaden (6). Depending on the
species, division activity concentrates on certain regions
(7-9) leading to the typical shape of some dicot leaf blades,
e.g. serrate of lobbed. The lower part of the extended bulge
develops into the leaf stalk or petiole (9)
Vascular pattern ontogeny in the leaves of dicotyledons and monocotyledons. (A–
D) Arabidopsis thaliana, a dicotyledon; (E–H) Zea mays,