I was given a leaf to write about today. The leaf I was given reminded me of a shamrock because of its three leaves. The two leaves attached to the root were similar in shape. The leaf at the center had an upward curving leaf. The texture was noticably different on both sides. The top of the leaf had a smooth wet surface. In contrast, the bottom of the leaf had a chalky texture. The leaf colors also varied. The top of the leaf had a darker green color, while the bottom leaf was a lighter green color. The texture and color differences may be due to photosynthesis. The leaf must be adapted to absorb light so the top of the leaf problably has more chlorophyll. I noticed that each leaf has a midrib going through the center. The midrib starts thick near the petiole, but then decreases in thickness as it travels near the apex. The leaf I was given was noticeably veiny. Each leaf had around eight veins coming out from the midrib. The veins themselves had additional veins coming out of them. This reminded me of a blood under a microscope. The leaf had a musky, skunk like smell. It kind of reminded me of back home where we had lots of skunks running around. The unpleasant smell of the leaf might play a role in repelling insects and birds. What was very interesting for me were the quantitative measurements. The total width of the leaf was 7.2cm wide. The total length of the leaf was 7.2cm. I also noticed that the leaf always felt cold. It seems that the leaf does not hold to heat well.
Recent comments