smallleaved

Smallleaved, often written as small-leaved, is a descriptive term in botany and horticulture used for plants with leaves that are smaller than those typical for related taxa. It is not a formal taxonomic category or rank.

In practice, smallleaved appears in common names and horticultural descriptions. Leaf size is one of several morphological characteristics used to distinguish species or varieties, and the label helps gardeners and researchers communicate about growth habits, habitat preferences, and pruning or cultivation considerations.

A widely cited example is the small-leaved lime, Tilia cordata, a European tree with relatively small, heart-shaped leaves compared with larger relatives such as Tilia platyphyllos. The descriptor is commonly applied across different plant groups and regions, appearing in regional common names or trade catalogs to indicate a trait rather than a specific lineage.

The concept of leaf size in plant descriptions intersects with related terms in plant morphology. For instance, microphyll describes very small leaves in certain plant groups, while broader references to leaf size appear throughout taxonomic descriptions and field guides as part of phenotypic characterization. Overall, smallleaved serves as a practical shorthand for a trait that can influence aesthetic, ecological, and horticultural considerations.