Simple Leaves vs. Compound Leaves
Key Differences
Comparison Chart
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Incision
Arrangement
Edges or Margins
Subtypes
Location of Bud
Leaf Blade
Attachment
Examples
Simple Leaves vs. Compound Leaves
Simple leaves are considered as those types of leaves which do not have a deep incision, and lamina or the leaf blades are not divided into them. Compound leaves, on the other hand, are considered as those types of leaves which have a deep incision, and the leaf blades or lamina of which are is divided into many leaflets.
Simple leaves are considered to occur in the acropetal succession arrangement, whereas, the leaflets of compound leaves are not present in the acropetal succession arrangement. There is only one leaf blade or lamina in the simple leaves. On the flip side, there are many tiny and separated leaf blades in the compound leaves, which are named as the leaflets.
Simple leaves are considered to have the axillary buds. Axil is referred to as a specific point at which petiole gets attached to the stem. Simple leaves are considered to have buds at that point. In compound leaves, on the other side, the individual leaflets do not comprise the axils. Guavas, mangoes, and numerous types of oaks contain simple leaves. On the flip side, baobab, neem, rose, and dessert cotton comprises the compound leaves.
What are Simple Leaves?
Simple leaves are that part of a plant that has an undivided lamina (or blade). These kinds of leaves have lobes with the gaps that are not capable of reaching the main vein. The plants and trees which contain the simple leaves have a single leaf blade which shows an attachment with the help of a petiole, and that always grows on twigs. The leaf blade of the simple leaves can never be divided into the groups of the smaller leaflets and always show attachment with a twig.
Simple leaves are the kind of leaves that comprise an axillary bud, which is present close to the point where the leaf is attached with the stem, i.e., axil. The most common examples of trees that grow simple leaves In North America, the trees which are responsible for growing the simple leaves are the cherries, elms, maples, birch, and oaks.
The trees of North America show an arrangement of a single leaf. There are no further subtypes of the simple leaves. They are not capable of showing a deep incision. A toothed edge, which is also called an “edge margin,” is present in the simple leaves which may or may not contain lobes.
Nevertheless, the gaps are present between the leaves in which lobes are absent so that they may not reach the main vein or the midrib. This type of leaves may have smooth, jagged, rolled, lobed, or parted margins. Guavas, mangoes, and numerous types of oaks contain simple leaves.
What are Compound Leaves?
Compound leaves are the type of leaves in which the leaf blade is involved in the formation of leaflets because of its complete division. All the leaflets of the compound leaves are responsible for showing the attachment with the midrib separately with the help of their own short stems, which are named as the rachis. But, if we discuss the base of any of these stems, then we came to know that no lateral buds are present at these points.
The above statement shows that the lateral bud is only present at the base of the compound leaf; that is the point where the petiole gets attached to the stem.
Pinnately compound leaf and another is palmately compound leaf that are the two main types of compound leaves. The pinnately compound leaf has the leaflets that considered to arise from both sides of the midrib. The pinnate arrangements are of three types, i.e., the unipinnate, bipinnate, and tripinnate. The regular arrangement of leaflets is the unipinnate arrangement, which is along the midrib. The presence of secondary rachis is called the bipinnate arrangement that is basically apart from the regular rachis. The alternate of the primary or main rachis called the tripinnate arrangement that is an alternate in the bipinnate arrangement or system with the bipinnate leaflets.
The palmately compound leaf contains all the leaflets or tracts that arise out a single or one point, such as a palm. This type of arrangement of the palmately compound leaf is also divided into various types, like the unifoliate, the bifoliate, the trifoliate, and the quadrifoliate.
