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Related Concept Videos

Light Acquisition02:16

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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Reconstructing Terrestrial Paleoclimate and Paleoecology with Fossil Leaves Using Digital Leaf Physiognomy and Leaf Mass Per Area
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Evolution of leaf shape: A pattern emerges.

Daniel Koenig1, Neelima Sinha

  • 1Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, California, USA.

Current Topics in Developmental Biology
|August 14, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Leaf shape diversity arises from complex genetic networks and plant hormones like auxin. Understanding these developmental factors reveals how new leaf forms evolve.

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Area of Science:

  • Plant biology
  • Developmental genetics
  • Evolutionary morphology

Background:

  • Leaf shape is highly variable, with ancestral leaves evolving from branched shoot systems.
  • Leaf development involves complex genetic interactions, leading to diverse morphologies like blades, serrations, and leaflets.
  • Leaf patterning shares similarities with shoot patterning, highlighting conserved developmental mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the genetic and physiological mechanisms underlying leaf shape variation.
  • To explore the role of auxin in leaf and shoot patterning.
  • To understand how morphological innovation in leaves is accomplished.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of gene networks across model species with distinct leaf morphologies.
  • Investigating the function of genetic and physiological factors in leaf development.
  • Studying the role of the plant hormone auxin in patterning processes.

Main Results:

  • A complex network of interacting genes controls leaf patterning.
  • Parallels exist between leaf and shoot patterning mechanisms.
  • The plant hormone auxin is a key factor in specifying both shoot and leaf patterns.
  • Leaf shape outcomes are influenced by the balance between differentiation and indeterminacy.

Conclusions:

  • Leaf shape evolution is driven by intricate genetic and hormonal regulation.
  • Auxin plays a crucial role in establishing leaf and shoot architectures.
  • Understanding these developmental forces provides insight into morphological innovation in plants.