lansettformens

Lansettformen is a botanical term used to describe a lanceolate or lance-shaped form, typically referring to leaves or other plant parts that are markedly longer than they are wide, with a pointed tip. The form is characterized by a slender, elongated blade that tapers toward the apex, while the base may be tapered or narrow. The term is commonly used in plant descriptions, floras, and dichotomous keys to distinguish leaf shapes from ovate, oblong, or spatulate forms.

Etymology and usagewise, lansettformen derives from the Swedish words lansett, meaning lance, and formen, meaning form. It reflects a long-standing descriptive tradition in botanical morphology to categorize leaf shapes in a systematic way. In practice, botanists may describe a leaf as lanceolate or broadly lanceolate depending on its relative length and width, with variations such as narrowly lanceolate or acuminate tips noted for precision.

Morphological variation within lansettformen can include differences in tip type (acute, acuminate), base (attenuate or subcordate), margin (usually entire but sometimes slightly wavy), and surface texture (glabrous or pubescent). The form often occurs across diverse plant families and is one of several standard shape categories used in keys and herbarium specimen annotations.

In taxonomy and field work, lansettformen serves as a concise descriptive tool to compare related species and to aid in identification. It is commonly contrasted with other leaf shapes such as ovate, oblong, or elliptic, providing a clear, comparable criterion for morphological description. See also leaf shape, lanceolate, and herbarium morphology.