Literary notes about leaflet (AI summary)
The term "leaflet" has been employed in literature in two notably distinct ways. In botanical texts, it refers to the individual segments of a compound leaf, with detailed descriptions emphasizing shape, size, arrangement, and occasional morphological peculiarities such as the replacement of a terminal leaflet by a stylet or thorn ([1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]). These technical accounts also note variations in leaflet number and margin characteristics, underscoring an analytical approach to plant identification and classification ([10], [11], [12]). In contrast, the word appears in literary and periodical contexts to denote a small printed document or brief periodical publication—with uses ranging from the conveyance of subversive ideas to poetic imagery, as seen in Dostoyevsky’s narrative of a five-line leaflet almost leading to his capture ([13], [14], [15], [16]). This dual usage highlights the term’s versatility, bridging rigorous scientific description and expressive literary function.
- Leaves 1½–2° long, opposite, abruptly pinnate, a thick stylet taking the place of the odd leaflet.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - Leaves twice abruptly pinnate, a thorn taking the place of the terminal leaflet.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - —A vine, with leaves opposite, abruptly pinnate, a stylet taking the place of the terminal leaflet.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - Leaflets, 3–4 pairs, obliquely ovate, acute, the terminal leaflet nearly lanceolate.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - Secondary petioles: that of the middle leaflet long, bearing 2 glands, those of the others short, bearing 1 gland each.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - Leaves alternate, pinnate with stylet in place of the odd leaflet.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - Leaves opposite, abruptly pinnate with a stylet in place of the odd leaflet.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - Leaves abruptly pinnate, the place of the odd leaflet taken by a stylet.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - Calyx proper, very short, monophyllous, a lanceolate leaflet springing from the border.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - All trees were found to have compound leaves, but the leaflet numbers varied greatly.
— from Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 44th Annual Meeting - (7) Leaflet margins with one exception were more or less ciliate.
— from Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 44th Annual Meeting - (6) Leaflet shapes varied from tree to tree being ovate, obovate or elliptical.
— from Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 44th Annual Meeting - A passing shade, or leaflet's quiver Would give his blood a boiling fever.
— from Fables of La Fontaine — a New Edition, with Notes by Jean de La Fontaine - I tell you, I almost got caught with this five-line leaflet.
— from The possessed : by Fyodor Dostoyevsky - In 1858 there appeared in France a leaflet-periodical, entitled The Café, Literary, Artistic, and Commercial .
— from All About Coffee by William H. Ukers - Leaflet 6. 1911.
— from All About Coffee by William H. Ukers