Drawing Leaf Structure: Skills (DP IB Biology)

Drawing Leaf Structure

• You will be expected to identify the following structures in the leaf of a dicotyledonous plant:

  • Chloroplasts

  • Cuticle

  • Guard cells

  • Stomata

  • Upper and lower epidermis

  • Palisade mesophyll

  • Spongy mesophyll

  • Air spaces

  • Vascular bundles (xylem and phloem)

Structure of Leaf Diagram

Diagram showing the transverse section of a leaf

Drawing a plan diagram

• Plan diagrams are drawings made from micrographs or from viewing specimens under a low magnification

• Keep the following in mind when drawing a plan diagram:

  • No individual cells are drawn, only tissue layers enclosed by lines should be present

  • Pay attention to the distribution of tissue throughout the plant organ

  • Use a sharp pencil and draw clear, continuous lines

  • Do not shade any part of your drawing

  • Make sure your proportions and observations are accurate

    • Draw what you actually see, not what you would expect to see from a textbook

  • Draw your drawing big enough to fill up at least half the available space

• When labelling your plan diagram remember to: 

  • Use a ruler to draw label lines, not freehand

  • Avoid using arrowheads and make sure the label lines stop at the structure

  • Make sure label lines do not cross each other

  • Write all labels horizontally, not at different angles