General leaf form
• Leaves are the main photosynthetic
organs of most plants
– but green stems are also
photosynthetic.
– While leaves vary extensively in Blade
form, they generally consist of a
flattened blade and a stalk, the
petiole, which joins the leaf to a
stem node.
• Most monocots have parallel major Petiole
veins that run the length of the blade,
while dicot leaves have a multi
branched network of major veins.
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as
Benjamin Cummings
Leaves - Comparisons
Monocots and dicots differ in the arrangement of veins, the
vascular tissue of leaves
Most dicots have branch- Monocots have parallel
like veins and palmate leaf veins and longer,
leaf shape slender blades
Leaf Structure
•The leaf is composed of six different
layers of cells, each with
their own specific function.
• Cuticle
• Upper Epidermis
• Lower Epidermis
• Palisades Layer
• Spongy Layer
• Stomata
Structures of the Leaf
Cuticle – the outermost layer of both the
upper and lower surfaces of the leaf. It is
clear and waxy to prevent against water loss.
Epidermis – a layer of cells one cell thick that
provides protection for the inner tissues.
These cells are clear to allow light to reach
the photosynthetic tissues.
Mesophyll – between the epidermal layers. It
contains palisade cells that are tall, tightly
packed, and filled with chloroplasts for
photosynthesis.
Structures of the Leaf
Stomates – openings in the surface of the
leaf and stems for gas exchange. The lower
surface of a leaf usually has more. Water
vapor also passes out through these holes.
Veins – contain the vascular tissue that is
continuous with that in the stem. Xylem
carries water and minerals upward. Phloem
carries dissolved food throughout the plant.
Function of Leaf Structures
•Cuticle – waxy layer;
reduces water loss
•Epidermis - outer
leaf surfaces that
provide protection
•Palisade Layer -
Packed with
chloroplasts
Most photosynthesis
occurs here
•Spongy Layer - Cuticle
Air spaces allow for
gas exchange Epidermis
Vascular Bundle
•Xylem - Transports
WATER from the roots
Excess H2O
up to the leaves. leaves from
the leaves
•Phloem - Transports
NUTRIENTS (food) from
the leaves down to the
roots. Xylem
Xylem moves H2O
to leaves
Phloem Plants get
H2O from the
Stomata & Homeostasis
•The stomata and
guard cells help to
maintain water and
gas (CO2 and O2)
homeostasis.
Stomatal control
• When water is abundant:
• Temporal regulation of
stomata is used:
– OPEN during the day
– CLOSED at night
• At night there is no
photosynthesis, so no
demand for CO2 inside the
leaf
• Stomata closed to prevent
water loss
• Sunny day - demand for CO2
in leaf is high – stomata wide
open
• As there is plenty of water,
plant trades water loss for
photosynthesis products
If sunlight shines onto water and carbon
dioxide, a reaction will not occur.
The energy must be transferred from the
environment, to the chlorophyll, by light.
This energy is used to convert carbon
Variegated leaves are
dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. white and green.
Chlorophyll is essential to the process of The white areas do not
photosynthesis. have any chlorophyll.
If there is a reduction in the amount of
chlorophyll available to the plant then the
amount of glucose made by
photosynthesis will reduce. The plant will
not grow as well.
Putting it all together
• Making a living…
– sunlight
• leaves = solar collectors
• photosynthesis
– gases: CO2 in & O2 out
• stomates = gases in & out
– H2O
• roots take in water from
soil
– minerals
• roots take in from soil
Specialized
Figure 11.12Leaves
(2)
• The Venus fly trap has an “active trap”
• Good control over turgor pressure in
each plant cell.
• When the trap is sprung, ion channels
open and water moves rapidly out of
the cells.
• Turgor drops and the leaves slam shut
• Digestive enzymes take over
