Branch or Leave

[Edher]

Saludos,

As I was reading about simple leaves, compound leafs, and doubly compound leafs, I became puzzled as to how to determine what's a leaf and what's a lateral shoot (branch.)

More in detail, how can you tell the difference between a petiole and branch?

Thousand Thanks,
Edher

[MrMistery]

The petiole is a part of the leaf, that sustains it from the branch, whereas a branch is a part of the stem, so to speak. The differences are morphological and structural. The morphological differences are obvious. As for the differences in structure: the petiole has a structure that will remind you of the primary stem of a plant. The branch has a secondary structure, you can observe the activity of the secundary meristems(cambium and felogen..). Need more details? I am kinda lazy and don't want to write unnecessary things...