Inside a leaf

Click on the leaf cross section to learn more about the anatomy of a leaf

In the leaves of most trees, three distinct tissue layers can be discerned in their leaves. These are:

1. The epidermis with its cuticle and stomata

2. The mesophyll where most of the chloroplasts are found and photosynthesis takes place

3. The leaf veins which transport water and inorganic compounds into the leaf, and organic compounds produced by photosynthesis away from the leaf, to other parts of the plant.