Leaves & Foliage

By definition a leaf is a flat green outgrowth from the stem of a vascular plant (thanks Britannica). It’s connected to the rest of the plant by this vascular system that enables the transport of water and other nutrients.

The three main parts of a leaf are the petiole, leaf base and lamina (or leaf blade).

Collectively, leaves are known as foliage.

The most important purpose of leaves is to feed the tree using photosynthesis. This is the process by which green plants use a light-absorbing pigment (chlorophyll) to convert water, carbon dioxide and minerals into oxygen and organic compounds such as glucose.

Leaves also release water vapor into the air through the process of transpiration, similar to how humans sweat.

Leaves can be extremely diverse in appearance (size, shape, colour etc.) with contributing factors including climate, light, nutrient availability, proximity of competing plants and presence of grazing beasties.

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Image: ScienceFacts.net