In formal Botany there are dozens of difficult words, which do give a very specific description of leaf shape. In Sappi Tree Spotting, however, we use plain English, and for most people this is a good way to start to Tree Spot.

Leaf and Leaflet shapes

There are many varieties of leaf or leaflet shape. As a basis for descriptions, the following terms are used for the trees described in this blog. Most of the trees used as the examples, have appeared in this, or previous blogs.

Round e.g Sycomore Fig: Trees of the Month, Lowveld this month's blog

Heart-shapped eg. Lowveld Star-chestnut: Bushveld Trees of the Month, August blog

Oval eg. Velvet Bushwillow: October's Trees of the Month, Highveld October blog

Egg-shaped eg. White-milkwood: Trees of the Month, December blog

Broad elliptic eg. Tamboti: Trees of the Month, KwaZulu Natal, July blog

Narrow elliptic eg. Cape Willow: Trees of the Month, Cape South, July blog

Needle eg. Broad-leaved Yellowwood: Trees of the Month Cape, South, August blog

Butterfly eg. Mopane

Leaf Margins

The edge of leaves and leaflets vary, and the following terms are used:

Smooth eg Cape-beech: Trees of the Month, Cape South, this month's blog

Wavy eg. Cape-chestnut: Trees of the Month, Cape South, October blog

Notched eg. Rockwood: Trees of the month December, Cape - South, December blog

Deeply toothed or serrated eg. Assegaai

Finely toothed or serrated eg. Tamboti: Trees of the Month, KwaZulu-Natal, July blog

Lobed eg. Highveld Cabbage-tree: Trees of the Month, Highveld, August blog