Twenty Broadleaf trees
Here are twenty Broadleaf trees that are often found in woodlands and urban areas in Britain with links to full page descriptions of them. Note that the prevalence of certain species can vary across different regions and different habitats. Woodlands may be predominantly oak or beech for example but in urban areas there are many individual species. Click on the name in RED to get more information. Click on any photo to enlarge it.
This page consists of photos of the leaves of twenty Broadleaf trees but there are links to other pages which give full descriptions of the trees and other similar species. To see a list of all the Broadleaf species on this website click HERE go to the Index of Tree Species.
On broadleaf tree leaves the leaf stalk is referred to as a petiole by botanists. The petiole connects the leaf to the shoot. If the leaf has no petiole and sits right on the shoot it is known as sessile. The leaf blade is divided down the centre by the midrib. This is the central or main vein of the leaf. The veins are tubes that carry water and nutrients to and from the leaf surface. The network of veins reaches every part of the leaf surface. The leaf blade is also referred to as the lamina. The edge of the lamina is called the leaf margin. The shape of the leaf is determined by how the margin and the veins develop and is under precise genetic control.
The margin may be smooth, toothed or lobed. There are growth points along the margin which are aligned with veins. Smooth margins grow at a uniform rate but toothed leaves have parts of the margin that are distant from the growth points and lag behind resulting in the formation of teeth. If the growth between the tips is inhibited even more, a lobe is formed. A lobe is a rounded or pointed segment of a leaf that is separated from other segments by a gap that does not reach the midrib of the leaf. Lobes may be arranged on either side of a central axis like a feather. This leaf is ‘pinnately lobed’, or lobes may spread radially from a point like a hand.This leaf is ‘palmately lobed’. If the gap reaches the midrib the leaf is ‘palmate’. If growth between tips is further inhibited a ‘pinnate’ leaf may be formed. This has individual leaflets arranged either side of a midrib like a feather.