Page 5 - Pharmacognosy-I (02-06-06-102)

COMPOUND LEAVES

Compound leaves consists of 2 or more leaflets, either coming out
from the top of the petiole or arranged on a central axis called
rachis, which is continuous with the petiole and corresponds to the
midrib of the simple leaf. They may be / are:

• Binate: with 2 leaflets only.
• Ternate: with 3 leaflets, 2 lateral and 1 terminal.
• Palmate: with 5 or more leaflets coming out from the top of

the petiole.
• Pinnate: with several leaflets arranged on the rachis. It may

be;
o Paripinnate: With even number of leaflets in 2 rows, 1
on either side of the rachis.
o Imparipinnate: the leaflets are odd in number and
terminate with a single leaflet.

SIMPLE LEAF

Apex:
o It may be:
Acute, Acuminate, Obtuse, Recurved, Mucronate, Emarginate
(notched), etc.

Margin:
o It may be:
Entire, Revolute, Crenate, Dentate, Serrate, etc.

Base:
o It may be:
Symmetric, Asymmetric, Decurrent, etc.

Venation: It may be Parallel or Reticulate venation.

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