The Leaf:
Photosynthesis is the process of making sugers for the plants own food through the energy of the sun.
The vascular (veins) system carries nutrients around the leaf.
When dead leaves and plants decay they form topsoil which is essential for plant growth.
The largest leaves belong to the raffiam plant (Raphia farinifera) and the Amazonian bamboo palm Raphia taedigera) growing up to 20 meters long.
The smallest leaves are those of the floating duckweed. They grow to be 0.6mm long and 0.3mm wide.
Leaves of the giant water lily (Victoria amazonica) can grow up to 2.5 meters across. They can support the weight of a medium sized dog.
Trees lose water through their leaves. An average birch with 200,000 leaves can loose up to 400 liters a day.
