Page 15 - Assignment 1 GS58346 Nurzawani

LEAF

The large leaves (15-60 cm long) are
alternately arranged and twice-
compound (i.e. bipinnate). Each leaf
is borne on a stalk (i.e. petiole) 4-
9.5 cm long that has a swollen base
(i.e. pulvinus). When the leaves are
young, a pair of small once-
compound leaf-like structures (i.e.
pinnate stipules) are present where
the leaf stalk joins to the stem.
However, these are quickly shed
(i.e. they are caducous). The leaf
consists of a main stalk (i.e. rachis)
bearing 7-20 pairs of branchlets
(i.e. pinnae) that are 2-10 cm long.
Each of the branchlets bears 10-35
pairs of small green leaflets (i.e.
pinnules). These leaflets (5-13 mm
long and 2-5 mm wide), with bright
green upper surfaces and paler
undersides, are finely hairy (i.e.
pubescent) and first but quickly
become hairless. They are oblong
or oval (i.e. elliptic) in shape with
entire margins and rounded tips
(i.e. obtuse apices).