unlobed

Unlobed is an adjective used to describe a shape or structure that lacks lobes—distinct projections or divisions that extend from a main body. The term is commonly employed in botany and anatomy to contrast with lobed forms, which show clear indentations or outgrowths forming separate lobes.

In botany, an unlobed leaf has a blade that is not divided into multiple lobes. The blade may be simple and whole, and its margin can be described as entire, serrate, or crenate, but it does not exhibit deep indentations that create separate lobes. By contrast, lobed leaves have prominent lobes separated by sinuses or deep incisions, as seen in maples, oaks, and other lobed species.

Unlobed leaves are widespread across many plant groups. Examples include beech (Fagus), magnolia, dogwood, and numerous grasses and monocots, which often feature simple, unlobed blades. The term provides a concise shorthand in field guides and botanical keys to distinguish leaf shapes.

In other fields of study, unlobed can describe organs or structures that do not show lobation or subdivision into lobes, applying a similar descriptive principle beyond leaves. The word conveys a basic sense of simplicity in morphology and helps clarify comparisons between shapes.

See also: lobed, leaf shape, leaf margin, morphology.