Field Notes Journal a personal natural history of place

III.3 Examination of Leaf Venation

Aim

To observe the arrangement of veins within a leaf.

Specimen & Apparatus

• Leaf (e.g. ivy or holly)
• Slide and coverslip
• Water
• Compound microscope

Method

1. Cut a small, thin portion of the leaf including visible veins.
2. Place the specimen on a slide with a drop of water.
3. Apply a coverslip carefully.
4. Examine under low power to observe overall venation.
5. Increase magnification to examine finer vein structure.

Observations to Make

• Pattern and branching of veins.
• Relative thickness of major and minor veins.
• Arrangement of surrounding tissue.
• Any variation across different regions of the leaf.