lehtisten

Lehtinen is a Finnish botanical term meaning a leaflet, the small segment of a compound leaf. The word is formed as a diminutive from lehti, using the suffix -nen to indicate a smaller or simpler leaf unit. The plural nominative is lehtiset, while the genitive plural is lehtisten, as in phrases like lehtisten reunat (the edges of the leaflets) or lehtisten pituus (the length of the leaflets).

In botany, leaflets are the individual segments that make up a compound leaf, such as those seen in pinnate or palmate leaves. They may have their own small stalks (petiolules) or be sessile. The morphology of leaflets—shape, margin, size, and venation—contributes to species identification, and the number and arrangement of leaflets can vary widely among plant species.

Usage of the term lehtinen is specialized and mostly found in botanical texts, floras, and educational materials in Finnish. In everyday language, speakers more often refer to the leaf as a whole (lehti) or describe a leaf as containing leaflets in context. The grammatical forms, including lehtisten, enable expressions of possession or relation, such as lehtisten reunat or lehtisten koko, within scientific descriptions.