Comparative Study on Early Ontogeny of Compound Leaves in Lardizabalaceae

The early ontogeny of the pinnately, palmately, and ternately compound leaves in the Lardizabalaceae was studied by SEM. The leaf primordium of each of the three leaf types emerges as an identical short protrusion on the shoot apex; the leaf primordium produces the first leaflet initials laterally on its margin. Successive acropetal growth of the leaf axis and the following inception of the leaflet primordia are responsible for the pinnately compound leaf, whereas short basipetal growth accompanied with initiation of two or more pairs of leaflet initials results in a palmately compound leaf. If no elongation of the leaf axis nor additional inception of leaflet primordia occur during early ontogeny, a ternate leaf ensues.