Leaf architecture, 2024

1. Summer By Alessandra Chaves

I love to observe the veins of leaves and to photograph them. In this diptych, the leaf of the grape vine, and the leaf of a Ficus tree, are portrayed. The placement of the leaves side-by-side allows a comparison between their ingenious architectures. The veins of leaves, also known as leaf venation, play a crucial role in the overall function and health of a plant. They are the vascular structures within the leaf that provide essential support and transport of nutrients and water. Veins are composed of xylem, which carries water and minerals from the roots to the leaves, and phloem, which distributes the sugars and other metabolic products produced by photosynthesis throughout the plant. The pattern of veins can vary significantly between different plant species, with common types including parallel venation, typical of monocots like grasses, and reticulate venation, seen in dicots such as oak and maple. These intricate networks not only ensure efficient resource distribution but also contribute to the leaf's structural integrity, enabling it to maintain its shape and optimize light capture for photosynthesis.