Structure and Function

of the Leaves
The definition of leaf
Leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, and the food
making factories of green plants. Leaves come in
many different shapes and sizes.
Leaf

3
Structure of leaf
• External Features
• Leaf blade – Flattened part of the leaf
• Petiole – Leaf stalk
• Stipules – Leaf-like appendages at the base of the leaf.

Figure 1: External structure of leaf

Leaf
Leaves can be simple. They are made of a single
leaf blade connected by a petiole to the stem. An
oak leaf is an example.
A compound leaf is a leaf made up of separate
leaflets attached by a petiole to the stem like a
palm leaf.
The functions of leaf
*They...
1. Produce oxygen for animals for respiration
2. Remove carbon dioxide from the air
3. Produce food for the plant
4. Create shade
5. Create hiding places for wildlife
6. Are a source of food (for animals and people)
7. Reduce soil erosion by intercepting rain as it falls
8. Lower the air temperature as a by product of
transpiration
Leaf anatomy

Figure2: Anatomy structure of the leaf

 Leaf anatomy
A leaf is a plant organ and is made up of a
collection of tissues in a regular organization.
The major tissue systems present are:
The epidermis that covers the upper and lower
surfaces
The mesophyll inside the leaf that is rich in
chloroplasts (also called chlorenchyma)
The arrangement of veins (the vascular tissue)
Internal
structure of a
leaf
 A leaf consists of
following layers.
 Cuticle
 Upper epidermis
 Palisade mesophyll
 Spongy mesophyll
 Lower epidermis
 Pores also known as
stoma /stomata
 Cuticle
The outer thick waxy
covering of the
plants and leaves.
Cuticle protects
plant from drying
out by reducing
water loss.
Does not let oxygen
or carbon
dioxide pass
through it.
 Upper epidermis
• Upper epidermis
consists of a single
layer of cells
covered by cuticle.
Sometime
contains pores
which allow gas or
water molecule to
pass
Palisade mesophyll
• Just beneath the
epidermis there
are column shaped
cells containing
chloroplast are
known as Palisade
mesophyll.
 Spongy mesophyll
• The second type of
mesophyll tissue is
the
spongy mesophyll
which is composed
of
closely packed
irregular shape cells
surronded by air
spaces. There are
fewer
chloroplast
because they are
under side of the
leaf.
 Lower epidermis
• Below the spongy
mesophyll is
the lower
epidermis. We
will see vascular
bundle here and
stomata.
What are stomata or stoma?

• The pore like openings

in the underside of
the leaf leaf is called
stoma (singular) and
stomata (plural). Each
stoma consists of two
guard cells which
control the opening
and closing of the
stomata
 What is the function of
stoma /stomata ?
Stomata allow
carbon dioxide
and oxygen and
water vapor
diffuse into and
out of the leaf by
opening and
closing .
 Structure of stomata

• Stomata consists
of two guard cells.
When there is high
water pressure
guard cells open.
Low water pressure
in the guard cells
cause stomata to
close.
Do you think stomata are open all
the time?
• Plants keep their
stomata open just
enough to allow
photosynthesis to
take place but not so
much that they lose
excessive amount of
water.
What would happen if the stomata
were kept open all the time?
• If the stomata
were kept open all
the time, water
loss due to
transpiration would
be so great that
few plants would
be able to take
enough water to
survive.
 What is the time frame of
opening and closing
stomata?
 In general,  However, stomata
stomata are may be closed even
open during the in the bright
sunlight under hot,
day time when dry conditions in
photosynthesis which water
are active, and conservation is a
closed at matter of life and
night. death.
References

1. Bayer, M. B. (1982). The New Haworthia Handbook.

Kirstenbosch: National Botanic Gardens of South Africa.

2. Couder, Y.; L. Pauchard.; C. Allain; M.Adda-Bedia; S.

Douady (2002). "The leaf venation as formed in a tensorial
field". The European Physical Journal B 28 (2): 135–138.

3. Mauseth, J. D. ( 2008). Botany: An Introduction to Plant

Biology. Publisher: Jones & Bartlett.