Download UnbeLeafAble Features: Leaf Classification

Jean-Luc Rivera-Miranda:
[email protected]
Robbinsville High School
Summer Ventures in Science and Math
2009
Dr. Tashakkori, Mr. Miles, Ms. Shrestha


Leaf classification is the process of evaluating a
leaf’s features and using them to place the leaf
into a certain category.
Using the length, width, area, and edges of
leaves, it is possible to classify leaves into
different categories.



Leaf classification has been studied before by
several different researchers.
Xioa-Feng Wang used images of leaves with
complex backgrounds to classify plants.
Other researchers, such as David Cutler,
studied plant anatomy to classify leaves.



Eighteen leaves were collected from around the
ASU CAP building.
A picture was taken of each leaf and was
opened in the computer program Image J.
The length and width of each one of the leaves
was then found.



After the length and width of each leaf was
evaluated, a width to length ratio was created.
The ratio correlated with the shape of each leaf.
The data that was obtained was then put into a
graph.
Ratio
Long Leaf 5 Species 1
Long Leaf 2 Species 2
Lobed Leaf 1 (not mature) Species 1
Long Leaf 3 Species 1
Double Serrated Leaf 4 Species 2
Double Serrated Leaf 3 Species 2
Long Leaf 1 Species 1
Long Leaf 4 Species 2
Rounded Leaf 3 Species 1
Ratio
Double Serrated Leaf 2 Species 1
Lobed Leaf 2 (Mature) Species 1
Double Serrated Leaf 1 Species 1
Pedate Leaf 2 Species 1
Rounded Leaf 1 Species 1
Rounded Leaf 2 Species 1
Pedate Leaf 1 Species 1
Palmate Leaf 4 Species 3
Palmate Leaf 3 Species 2
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4



Next, the area of each leaf was found using
Image J.
After finding the area, a best fitting ellipse was
created around each leaf.
Another ratio was then created by divide the
area of the leaf by the area of the ellipse.



Using the width to length ratio, the shape of
each leaf could be determined.
There were six different shape categories that
the eighteen leaves were placed into.
These categories were as follows: ovoid,
oblong, obovate, pedate, lobed, and palmate.


Using the ellipse ratio, the leaves were
classified into margin categories.
There were four different categories and they
were as follows: crenate, double serrated,
entire, and lobate.



Only eighteen leaves were used, so it isn’t clear
if this process works for all leaves.
A clear leaf shape is easy to find by using the
leaf length and width.
In addition to the length and width, a simple
examination of the leaf area and ellipse area
gives a definite margin type.


Plants are very complex organisms just as
humans are, so there is much that can be done
in the future.
One project may be to examine the cuticle
thickness of leaves and try to determine the
rate of photosynthesis.



Mr. Jere Miles for providing us candy when we
were in dire need.
Ms. Biva Shrestha for being amazing while
helping on my project. She gave me a clear
view of what to do with all of those leaves.
Dr. Tashakkori for showing us all of the basics
in Image J that helped so much with the
project.