A leaf (pl.: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the … See more

A structurally complete leaf of an angiosperm consists of a petiole (leaf stalk), a lamina (leaf blade), stipules (small structures located to either side of the base of the petiole) … See more

According to Agnes Arber's partial-shoot theory of the leaf, leaves are partial shoots, being derived from leaf primordia of the shoot apex. Early in development they are … See more

In the course of evolution, leaves have adapted to different environments in the following ways:
• Waxy micro- and nanostructures on the surface reduce wetting by rain and adhesion of contamination (See Lotus effect See more

Leaves are the most important organs of most vascular plants. Green plants are autotrophic, meaning that they do not obtain food from other living things but instead create their own food by photosynthesis. They capture the energy in See more

Medium-scale features
Leaves are normally extensively vascularized and typically have networks of vascular bundles containing xylem, which supplies water for See more

Biomechanics
Plants respond and adapt to environmental factors, such as light and mechanical stress from wind. Leaves need to support their own … See more