FRUITS | Types

Leaf Morphology: Shape

the overall outline of the leaf blade (around all leaflets for compound leaves)

Acicular	needlelike
Subdulate	awn- or awl-shaped; sharp-pointed and usually short (<1/2 inch)
Scale	Small and sharp, broadened at the base, appressed and imbricated
Linear	many times longer than broad, approximately parallel sides
Oblong	longer than broad with parallel sides
Lanceolate	lance-shaped; widest about 1/3 from the base, tapering to apex
Oblanceolate	reverse of lanceolate (switch the base and apex when you add ob-)
Ovate	egg-shaped, widest below the middle
Obovate	reverse of ovate
Elliptical	like an ellipse, widest at the center
Oval	broadly elliptical, width is greater than half the length
Orbicular	circular or nearly so
Reniform	kidney-shaped, heart-shaped, broad as long with a cordate base
Deltate	triangular, delta-shaped
Rhombic	diamond-shaped
Spatulate	shaped like a spatula, broad apex tapering to base
Flabellate	fan-shaped

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Acicular

needlelike

Subdulate

awn- or awl-shaped; sharp-pointed and usually short (<1/2 inch)

Scale

Small and sharp, broadened at the base, appressed and imbricated

Linear

many times longer than broad, approximately parallel sides

Oblong

longer than broad with parallel sides

Lanceolate

lance-shaped; widest about 1/3 from the base, tapering to apex

Oblanceolate

reverse of lanceolate (switch the base and apex when you add ob-)

Ovate

egg-shaped, widest below the middle

Obovate

reverse of ovate

Elliptical

like an ellipse, widest at the center

Oval

broadly elliptical, width is greater than half the length

Orbicular

circular or nearly so

Reniform

kidney-shaped, heart-shaped, broad as long with a cordate base

Deltate

triangular, delta-shaped

Rhombic

diamond-shaped

Spatulate

shaped like a spatula, broad apex tapering to base

Flabellate

fan-shaped

All definitions are from J. W. Hardin, D. J. Leopold, and F. M. White. (2001). Harlow & Harrar's Textbook of Dendrology. Ninth edition. McGraw Hill, New York, New York, 534 pp. ISBN: 0073661716.