How is a leaf well adapted for photosynthesis?
The leaf has a large surface area for optimum sunlight absorption. The cuticle, a waxy layer covering the leaf, is see-through, allowing light through. It also aids in water regulation as a permeability barrier, and as protection. Most of the leaf is comprised of parenchyma cells, which is called the mesophyll. Just below the upper epidermis are the palisade parenchyma cells which have many chloroplasts and are elongated for maximum light absorption. The cells that make up the upper epidermis are tightly packed in tight rows to optimize light absorption by the chloroplasts. The spongy mesophyll cells are arranged so that there are air spaces, called intercellular spaces, between them to allow for diffusion of gases, enabling CO2 to be available to all cells. The Leaves have tiny openings called stomata which can open and close. These allow the transfer of gases.
