Evolutionary and Developmental Origins of Leaves Leaves are the primary photosynthetic organs for most plants and critically important for our oxygen-rich environment. What do we do we know about the events that contributed to their evolution ~ 400 million years ago ? Their developmental origins are better understood, and described in terms of the structure and function of the shoot apical meristem. Patterns of phyllotaxy and current models of how these patterns form are discussed. The story continues in TTPB3 Genetic Control of Leaf Development.
First posted November 30, 2009, revised October 23, 2012. www.plantcell.org/cgi/doi/10.1105/tpc.109.tt1109
Click HERE to access Teaching Tool components
RECOMMENDED CITATION STYLE:
Williams, M.E. (October 23, 2012). Evolutionary and Developmental Origin of Leaves. Teaching Tools in Plant Biology: Lecture Notes. The Plant Cell (online), doi/10.1105/tpc.109.tt1109.