Leaf

Although the leaves of different plants vary in their overall shape, most leaves are rather similar in their internal anatomy. Leaves generally consist of epidermal tissue on the upper and lower surfaces, vascular tissues in the veins, and less-differentiated mesophyll, or ground tissue, throughout the body. Some plant species have a special type of photosynthesis, known as C-4 photosynthesis, and their leaves have a unique internal anatomy. These highly specialized leaves are not considered here.