Joy's Tropical Leaf Finder

Index of Common Plant Names
Note: These pages are under construction and contain only stubs.

What is the plant's leaf or leaflet shape ? Leaf Shape Glossary
(The leaf may be toothed or untoothed, simple or compound.)

(Below) Thin

ensiforme Shaped like a sword, long and narrow with a sharp pointed tip.

acicular Slender with a tapering point.

linear Long and very narrow like a blade of grass.

(Below) Arrow

hastate Spear-shaped: Pointed, with barbs, shaped like a spear point, with flaring pointed lobes at the base.

sagittate Arrowhead-shaped with the lower lobes folded, or curled downward.

(Below) Heart

cordate Heart-shaped, with the petiole or stem attached to the notch.

deltoid Spade- or Heart-shaped with little or no notch, triangular, stem attaches to the wide back side.

obcordate Heart-shaped, stem attaches at the tapering end.

(Below) Pointed Ends Slim on each end and wider in the middle, like a football.

lanceolate Long, wider near the stem, shaped like a lance tip.

acute Pointed, angled less than 90 degrees. Wider in the middle.

rhomboid Diamond-shaped.

oblanceolate Longer than wide with the widest portion near the tip, reversed lanceolate.

(Below) Roundish Tip

flabelate Semi-circular, or fan-like.

reniform Shaped like a kidney: an oval with an inward curve on one side.

truncate With a squared-off end.

obovate Teardrop-shaped, stem attaches to the tapering end; reversed ovate.

spatulate Spoon-shaped; having a broad flat end which tapers to the base.

orbicular Circular.

peltate A round leaf where the petiole attaches near the center. An example would be a lotus leaf.

perfoliate With the leaf blade surrounding the stem such that the stem appears to pass through the leaf.

ovate Oval, egg-shaped, with a tapering point and the widest portion near the petiole.

(Below) Lobed Pinnately

pinnately lobed Having lobes arranged on both sides of the central axis (i.e. pinnate).

pandurate Fiddle-shaped; obovate with a constriction near the middle.

lyrate Shaped like a lyre, pinnately lobed leaf with an enlarged terminal lobe and smaller lateral lobes.

pinnatifid Having lobes with incisions that extend less than half-way toward the midrib.

pinnatipartite Having lobes with incisions that extend more than half-way toward the midrib.

pinnatisect Having lobes with incisions that extend almost, or up to the midrib.

(Below) Lobed Palmately

Palmately Lobed Palm-shaped, i.e. Consisting of lobes radiating from the base of the leaf.

palmate Palm-shaped, i.e. with lobes or leaflets stemming from the leaf base.

palmatifid Palm-shaped, having lobes with incisions that extend less than half-way toward the petiole.

palmatipartite Palm-shaped, having lobes with incisions that extend over half-way toward the petiole.

palmatisect Palm-shaped, having lobes with incisions that extend almost up, but not quite to the petiole.

pedate Palm-shaped, with deeply cleft lobes.

digitate Palm-shaped, with finger-like lobes.

multifid Cleft into many parts or lobes.

About Joy's Tropical Flower, Tree, and Plant Finders

Go to Index of Common Tropical Plant Names

Go to Index of Tropical Plant Latin Names

Joy's Plant Finder Glossary

Joy's Rropical Plant Finder

Go to Index of special Plant Attributes

(Below)	Thin
	ensiforme	Shaped like a sword, long and narrow with a sharp pointed tip.
	acicular	Slender with a tapering point.
	linear	Long and very narrow like a blade of grass.
(Below)	Arrow
	hastate	Spear-shaped: Pointed, with barbs, shaped like a spear point, with flaring pointed lobes at the base.
	sagittate	Arrowhead-shaped with the lower lobes folded, or curled downward.
(Below)	Heart
	cordate	Heart-shaped, with the petiole or stem attached to the notch.
	deltoid	Spade- or Heart-shaped with little or no notch, triangular, stem attaches to the wide back side.
	obcordate	Heart-shaped, stem attaches at the tapering end.
(Below)	Pointed Ends	Slim on each end and wider in the middle, like a football.
	lanceolate	Long, wider near the stem, shaped like a lance tip.
	acute	Pointed, angled less than 90 degrees. Wider in the middle.
	rhomboid	Diamond-shaped.
	oblanceolate	Longer than wide with the widest portion near the tip, reversed lanceolate.
(Below)	Roundish Tip
	flabelate	Semi-circular, or fan-like.
	reniform	Shaped like a kidney: an oval with an inward curve on one side.
	truncate	With a squared-off end.
	obovate	Teardrop-shaped, stem attaches to the tapering end; reversed ovate.
	spatulate	Spoon-shaped; having a broad flat end which tapers to the base.
	orbicular	Circular.
	peltate	A round leaf where the petiole attaches near the center. An example would be a lotus leaf.
	perfoliate	With the leaf blade surrounding the stem such that the stem appears to pass through the leaf.
	ovate	Oval, egg-shaped, with a tapering point and the widest portion near the petiole.
(Below)	Lobed Pinnately
	pinnately lobed	Having lobes arranged on both sides of the central axis (i.e. pinnate).
	pandurate	Fiddle-shaped; obovate with a constriction near the middle.
	lyrate	Shaped like a lyre, pinnately lobed leaf with an enlarged terminal lobe and smaller lateral lobes.
	pinnatifid	Having lobes with incisions that extend less than half-way toward the midrib.
	pinnatipartite	Having lobes with incisions that extend more than half-way toward the midrib.
	pinnatisect	Having lobes with incisions that extend almost, or up to the midrib.
(Below)	Lobed Palmately
	Palmately Lobed	Palm-shaped, i.e. Consisting of lobes radiating from the base of the leaf.
	palmate	Palm-shaped, i.e. with lobes or leaflets stemming from the leaf base.
	palmatifid	Palm-shaped, having lobes with incisions that extend less than half-way toward the petiole.
	palmatipartite	Palm-shaped, having lobes with incisions that extend over half-way toward the petiole.
	palmatisect	Palm-shaped, having lobes with incisions that extend almost up, but not quite to the petiole.
	pedate	Palm-shaped, with deeply cleft lobes.
	digitate	Palm-shaped, with finger-like lobes.
	multifid	Cleft into many parts or lobes.