isophyllous

Isophyllous is a botanical term describing plant leaves that are uniform in size. The word comes from iso- meaning equal and phyllon meaning leaf. In botanical descriptions, isophyllous leaves are those whose dimensions are similar across a given stem or plant, in contrast to anisophyllous leaves, which differ in size, or heterophyllous leaves, which differ in shape or form.

Isophyllous can refer to a pattern observed within a plant at a particular time or across individuals of a species. It is a descriptive term rather than a functional one; leaf size can vary with age, position on the plant, and environmental conditions, so isophyllous patterns are typical rather than absolute.

In floras, taxonomic keys, and studies of leaf morphology, isophyllous descriptions help convey the relative uniformity of leaf size, which can aid comparisons among species. The term is also used in paleobotany and plant ecology to describe fossil leaf assemblages or living communities where leaf size uniformity is notable.

Related terms include anisophyllous (leaves of unequal size) and heterophyllous (leaves of different shapes or structures).