Steve Nix is a member of the Society of American Foresters and a former forest resources analyst for the state of Alabama. Leaf shapes play an important role in tree identification, providing key ...

The spiky, iconic Canadian maple leaf. A large, lush Florida palm leaf. Thin aspen leaves rustling in the crisp Colorado air. You can probably recall many different leaf shapes from many different ...

The squiggly trunks and branches of Black Locust stand out in the winter landscape. Photos by Katie Finch Leaves are probably the most common feature used to identify trees. But in winter, when so ...

A new study shows that the shape of urban trees affects how pollen travels through the air, which could help cities reduce allergy exposure.

An apple may not fall far from the tree, but for a leaf, it depends on its shape. Elm or apple leaves — oval and symmetrical, with few protruding lobes — fall quickly, making them likely to end up ...

These trees have one leaf attached to each stem. Leaves with a consistent leaf edge are called unlobed leaves while trees with leaves that form shapes along their margins are called lobed leaves. If ...

The story of a plant is etched in its leaves. A tree growing in a cold environment with plenty of water is more likely to have large leaves with many serrated teeth around the edges. But if the same ...

Credit: Visualization of a narrow leaf-environment diffuse interface. Credit: Vishnu Muraleedharan, Sajeev C Rajan, Jaishanker R Complexity of biological forms has fascinated humankind over the years.

The technique could be used on everything from flowers to cells to examine the factors that influence the shapes of plant parts. The story of a plant is etched in its leaves. A tree growing in a cold ...