Leaves are a pretty important part of a plant. A leaf is responsible for making food for the plant through a process called photosynthesis, where it uses sunlight to turn carbon dioxide into sugars that the plant uses for energy.
Although they have the same job, one leaf can look completely different from another. This is even true for leaves on the same plant – a leaf that lives on the shaded side of a plant can be a different colour and size than one that lives in the sun.
When it comes to trees, you can split leaves into two different groups: broad leaves and narrow leaves. Broad leaves are the kinds you’d find on deciduous trees. They are wider and can have a visible network of veins (or lines). Narrow leaves, sometimes called needles, are much thinner and have fewer veins. These are the leaves you’d find on coniferous trees.
Looking at the shape of a tree’s leaves can help you figure out what kind of tree it is. Take a look at the leaves below and let us know how many you have seen by leafing a comment! Leafing… get it? 😉
http://agron-www.agron.iastate.edu/courses/Agron541/classes/541/lesson11a/11a.3.html
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/Plant%20ID-Leaves.htm
