The basal ( first 2 leaves ) are normally different than the regular leaves, but with this plant the basal leaves are super large.
Some_Guy_The_Meh
I think you’re looking at a castor bean sprout. If so, the two paddle like leaves are called cotyledons. They come squished inside the seed and are basically the first solar panels of the plant.
The leaves that come after are going to look the way you expect. Unless it’s a mulberry, then all the leaves will be different all the time.
JesusChrist-Jr
I agree that it appears in this case that the two rounded leaves are cotyledons, and it is very common in dicots for the cotyledons to be a different shape from the true leaves.
Additionally though, there are many other cases where a single plant can have multiple leaf shapes. Some produce different true leaves at maturity than they do early in life. Some produce different shape leaves further up on the stem or vine than closer to the base. Some plants produce drastically different leaf shapes and sizes based on light exposure. Many of the species that we keep as houseplants are basically stuck in their immature stage in that habitat, they are often forest floor plants that produce small leaves while they’re under the canopy and have reduced light (conditions similar to being indoors,) but once they latch onto a tree and climb higher where they receive more light they produce large leaves that are often shaped differently.
3 Comments
The basal ( first 2 leaves ) are normally different than the regular leaves, but with this plant the basal leaves are super large.
I think you’re looking at a castor bean sprout. If so, the two paddle like leaves are called cotyledons. They come squished inside the seed and are basically the first solar panels of the plant.
The leaves that come after are going to look the way you expect. Unless it’s a mulberry, then all the leaves will be different all the time.
I agree that it appears in this case that the two rounded leaves are cotyledons, and it is very common in dicots for the cotyledons to be a different shape from the true leaves.
Additionally though, there are many other cases where a single plant can have multiple leaf shapes. Some produce different true leaves at maturity than they do early in life. Some produce different shape leaves further up on the stem or vine than closer to the base. Some plants produce drastically different leaf shapes and sizes based on light exposure. Many of the species that we keep as houseplants are basically stuck in their immature stage in that habitat, they are often forest floor plants that produce small leaves while they’re under the canopy and have reduced light (conditions similar to being indoors,) but once they latch onto a tree and climb higher where they receive more light they produce large leaves that are often shaped differently.