Elliptic / elliptical – oval, widest at the middle of the blade, with curved margins and a pointed base and apex
Flabellate – fan-shaped – semi-circular
Hastate – spear-shaped – pointed, shaped like a spear point, with flaring pointed lobes at the base
Lanceolate – lance-shaped – long (3-6x as long as it is wide) and widest below the middle of the blade
Linear – long and very narrow, margins almost parallel, like a blade of grass
Obcordate – reverse heart-shaped – with the stem attached at the tapering end
Oblanceolate – reverse lanceolate – much longer than wide, with the widest portion above the middle of the blade
Oblong – nearly rectangular, with almost parallel margins, around 2x as long as wide
Obovate – teardrop-shaped – reverse ovate – widest above the middle of the blade, with the stem attached to the tapering end
Orbiculate / orbicular – circular – with rounded sides
Ovate – oval / egg-shaped – with a tapering point, widest below the middle of the blade near the petiole
Reniform – kidney-shaped – oval with an inward curve on one side
Rhomboid / rhombic – diamond-shaped – widest at the middle and with straight margins
Runcinate – oblanceolate with lacerate margins
Sagittate – arrowhead-shaped with lower lobes folded downwards or inwards
Spatulate – spoon-shaped – broad flat end which tapers towards the base
Triangular / deltoid – triangular, shaped roughly like an equilateral triangle (“deltoid” because it is shaped like the Greek letter delta)
Worksheets
The worksheets below are designed to help students master the different shapes of leaves, but don’t forget to go out into your garden / backyard / nearest forest and check out the leaf shapes on actual, real-life plants!
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