Abstract
In terms of form and function, leaves are the most variable and versatile plant organ. They serve primarily as the main photosynthetic organs of plants, but the pressures of natural selection, and the variability of the aerial environment, have driven the evolution of multiple leaf variants. Leaves may serve for storage, protection, or attachment and are fed by a branching vascular system that provides water and retrieves photosynthate. Different layers of tissue within the leaf play specific roles in light absorption, light filtering, and photosynthesis. Major leaf variants include the Kranz leaf anatomy of C4 plants, xeromorphic leaves of desert plants and gymnosperms, succulent leaves for water storage, and hydromorphic leaves of aquatic plants.
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Crang, R., Lyons-Sobaski, S., Wise, R. (2018). Leaves. In: Plant Anatomy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77315-5_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77315-5_12
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