Jacob’s-ladder Polemonium reptans

celandine poppy Stylophorum diphyllum common phlox Phlox divaricata wild ginger Asarum canadense bluebells Mertensia virginica

squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis spring beauty Claytonia virginica mayapple Podophyllum peltatum

rue anemone Anemonella thalictroides great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum

woolly blue violet Viola sororia

spotted touch-me-not Impatiens capensis dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne Dutchman’s-breeches Dicentra cucullariapurple trillium Trillium recurvatum

toothwort Dentaria laciniata

yellow bellwort Uvularia grandiflora showy orchis Galearis spectabilis

bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis

columbine Aquilegia canadensis

This posterwas made possible by:

Illinois Department ofNatural Resources

Division of Education

Division of Natural Heritage

Illinois Wildlife PreservationFund

Funding for this poster was made possible in partby contributions to the Illinois WildlifePreservation Fund.

Colorful wildflowers blooming in Illinois’ woodlands are

a delight to behold. Nearly every week throughout the

spring and summer an observer will be rewarded with

glimpses of different species in flower.The 28 species

illustrated on this poster were selected by John Wilker of the

Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Natural

Heritage to illustrate the variety of species that grow in Illinois’

woodlands and to encourage you to use some of these native

species in your garden.

Species List

FAMILY ARACEAE – ARUM FAMILYgreen dragon Arisaema dracontium*Jack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema triphyllum*

FAMILY ARISTOLOCHIACEAE – BIRTHWORT FAMILYwild ginger Asarum canadense

FAMILY BALSAMINACEAE – JEWELWEED FAMILYspotted touch-me-not Impatiens capensis

FAMILY BERBERIDACEAE – BARBERRY FAMILYmayapple Podophyllum peltatum

FAMILY BIGNONIACEAE – BIGNONIA FAMILYtrumpet creeper Campsis radicans*

FAMILY BORAGINACEAE – BORAGE FAMILYbluebells Mertensia virginica

FAMILY BRASSICACEAE – MUSTARD FAMILYtoothwort Dentaria laciniata

FAMILY FUMARIACEAE – FUMITORY FAMILYsquirrel corn Dicentra canadensisDutchman’s-breeches Dicentra cucullaria

FAMILY GERANIACEAE – GERANIUM FAMILYwild geranium Geranium maculatum*

FAMILY HYDROPHYLLACEAE – WATERLEAF FAMILYgreat waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum

FAMILY LILIACEAE – LILY FAMILYwhite trout lily Erythronium albidum*Solomon’s-seal Polygonatum commutatum*purple trillium Trillium recurvatumyellow bellwort Uvularia grandiflora

FAMILY ORCHIDACEAE – ORCHID FAMILYshowy orchis Galearis spectabilis

FAMILY PAPAVERACEAE – POPPY FAMILYbloodroot Sanguinaria canadensiscelandine poppy Stylophorum diphyllum

FAMILY POLEMONIACEAE – PHLOX FAMILYcommon phlox Phlox divaricataJacob’s-ladder Polemonium reptans

FAMILY PORTULACACEAE – PURSLANE FAMILYspring beauty Claytonia virginica

FAMILY RANUNCULACEAE – BUTTERCUP FAMILYdoll’s-eyes Actaea pachypoda*rue anemone Anemonella thalictroidescolumbine Aquilegia canadensisdwarf larkspur Delphinium tricornesharp-lobed hepatica Hepatica acutiloba*

FAMILY VIOLACEAE – VIOLET FAMILYwoolly blue violet Viola sororia

* Photo found on reverse side.

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I l l i n o i s

Wildflowers

As of 2008, 263 species of plants are listed as endangered in Illinois and 76 arethreatened for the state. While not all of these species are woodland wildflowers,the threats to all plant species are important.

In the past, habitat destruction has been the main problem facing Illinois’ nativeplants. Illinois retains only 11 percent of its land in the original vegetation type(49th in the nation). While habitat destruction remains a significant problem,habitat degradation is eroding the landscape’s ability to maintain natural biodi-versity. Habitat degradation by nonnative (“exotic”) invasive plant species is theprime problem for native plant conservation. Exotic species lead to local extinc-tions by robbing native plants of critical resources (sunlight, water and nutri-ents) through increased competition and crowding. Another problem involvesstress from grazing/browsing animals, such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus vir-ginianus). The deer population is often two to five times higher in an area thanrecommended by scientists for plant conservation and can decimate native plantpopulations. Habitat destruction leads to landscape fragmentation, with smallisolated patches of habitat instead of larger habitat areas that are connected.Fragmentation reduces the amount of land suitable for dispersal and germina-tion of seeds and increases the potential for local extinctions. Natural cyclesserve as checks and balances on ecological processes, and land-use changes havedisrupted these cycles with harmful effects. For example, periodic fires oncewere common in the state, and those plants adapted to the effects of fires wereable to flourish. Now, unless set intentionally as a management tool, fires rarelyoccur in the Illinois landscape. Without regular fires, many forests experience arapid change in the species growing in them. The result may be denser, shadierhabitats that can contribute to local extinctions of wildflowers and tree seedlingsthat do not grow well in shaded conditions. Both habitat destruction and degra-dation lead to local extinctions. Once a plant species is gone from a particularhabitat patch, it may be gone forever, affecting not only plant diversity but alsoanimals and other organisms that were dependent on it.

bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis Bloodroot flowers from early March through May. It growsin rich, moist woods throughout the state. This perennialplant develops from a thick underground stem. The distinc-tive red sap of the stem is the reason for the “bloodroot”name. The red sap was commonly used as a dye by NativeAmericans. The leaf arises from the base of the plant. Theleaf is lobed, smooth, up to three inches wide and threeinches long. It is rolled inward around the flower stalk whenthe plant is blooming. The white flower is borne on a stalk,and each flower may be one and one-half inches wide. Theeight to 15 flower petals fall from the stalk after one day.Seeds are enclosed in a green capsule.

bluebells Mertensia virginicaBluebells grow from shallow roots. The upright stems aresometimes branched and may reach two feet in height. Thesimple leaves are arranged alternately on the stem. Oblongto oval in shape, leaves may be up to six inches long. Flowersare arranged in clusters at the stem tip. Five blue petals perflower are united into a tube for most of their length. Aflower may be one and one-fourth inches long. The fruit isa cluster of four wrinkled nutlets. Spectacular flowering dis-plays of this species can be seen statewide in rich woodsfrom late March to late May.

celandine poppy Stylophorum diphyllumCelandine poppy, or wood-poppy, is a perennial with hairystems that grow to about one foot in height. The stems haveyellow sap that was commonly used as a dye by NativeAmericans. Leaves grow from the base of the plant andalong the stem. The hairy leaves are pinnately lobed, witheach leaf up to about 10 inches long. Flowers arise in clus-ters of up to four at the stem tip. There are four yellowpetals per flower, and each flower may be two inches wide.The fruit is a hairy capsule, up to one inch long. Celandinepoppy grows in rich wet woods of the southern one-fourthof Illinois as well as in Vermilion and Cook counties.Flowers are produced from March through May.

columbine Aquilegia canadensis Growing from thick roots, the upright, branched stems ofcolumbine may reach two feet in height. This perennialplant has basal leaves that are doubly compound, while theleaves on the upper stems are divided and do not have stalks.Flowers are produced in clusters at the stem tip, and a sin-gle flower may be two and one-half inches long on a slenderstalk. The five petals are projected backwards into five hol-low spurs that are red outside and yellow inside. In Latin,"aquila" means "eagle," so the genus name of Aquilegiarefers to the five spurs that resemble an eagle's claws. Thefruit is a cluster of five follicles with slender beaks.Columbine grows in rocky woods statewide and flowersfrom mid-April to July.

common phlox Phlox divaricataCommon phlox is also known as sweet William. A perenni-al plant, it grows upright or creeping with stems to one andone-half feet long. The leaves are oblong or oval andarranged opposite each other on the stem. Each finely hairyleaf may be up to four inches long. The light purple to blueflowers develop in clusters at the stem tip. Each flower hasfive petals. A single flower may be one and one-fourth inch-es wide. The seeds are contained in a capsule. Commonphlox can be found statewide growing in rich open woods.It flowers from mid-April through early June.

doll’s-eyes Actaea pachypoda Doll’s-eyes is a perennial plantthat grows from an undergroundstem. Above ground, the uprightstems may reach two feet tall.Leaves develop at the base of theplant and along the stem, with thestem leaves in an alternatearrangement. The leaves are dou-bly compound with oval, toothedleaflets. Flowers arise in an oblongcluster at the stem tip. Eachflower is about one-fourth inchwide on a short stalk and has three

to five, tiny white petals. The fruit is an oval, shiny whiteberry on a red stem. Each berry has a purple dot on one endgiving the appearance of a toy doll’s eye, and thus, one of itscommon names. Growing statewide in rich thick woods andravines, doll’s-eyes blooms from May through June.

Dutchman’s-breeches Dicentra cucullaria This perennial plant grows from a bulb. It has no leaf-bear-ing stems. All leaves arise from the base of the plant. Eachleaf is finely divided. Flowers develop in a cluster at the tipof a leafless stalk that may be 10 inches tall. Each flower maybe two-thirds inch long and up to three-fourths inch wide.The four petals are arranged in two inflated pairs that arewhite except for a yellow tip. Petals spread out and havepointed spurs at the base. The fruits are oblong to linear,smooth and up to one inch long. Each fruit contains sever-al seeds. Dutchman’s-breeches may be found statewidegrowing in rich woods. Flowers are produced from mid-March through early May. Its common name was given tothe plant because the flowers resemble the wide-leggedpants worn by early European settlers.

dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne Dwarf larkspur, wild larkspur and spring larkspur are allcommon names for this perennial plant. It grows from rootsand may attain a height of two and one-half feet. The leavesare arranged alternately on the stem, with each leaf havingfive to seven lobes. The blue flowers are clustered at the tip

of a stalk. Each flower has four petals, and a single flowermay be one and one-half inches long. Five sepals are alsopresent, of which one is developed into a spur. Dwarf lark-spur grows in the southern two-thirds of Illinois in richwoods and produces flowers from April through June.

great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatumThis upright perennial may reach a height of up to one footor more. Its leaves have five to seven shallow lobes. Each leafis toothed, hairy and mottled with green and gray. The gen-eral appearance of the leaf is similar to that of a maple treeleaf. Flowers are produced in a cluster at the stem tip. Eachfive-petaled, purple flower is up to one-half inch wide. Thefruit is a small spherical capsule. Found statewide, greatwaterleaf grows in rich bottomland woods and blooms fromApril through July.

green dragon Arisaema dracontium The unique flower structures ofgreen dragon can be observedwhen the plant blooms in wood-lands statewide from mid-Aprilthrough late May. This perennialgrows from an underground cormand has no leaf-bearing stems.The one leaf present arises fromthe base of the plant and has asmany as 17 leaflets. The flowersare clustered at the base of a cylin-drical column called a spadix that

extends into a long (up to seven inches) yellow appendage,or “dragon’s tongue.” The spadix is enveloped in a protec-tive green sheath. Male and female flowers are sometimes onthe same plant, and sometimes on different plants. Theflowers do not have petals. The fruit is a red-orange berry,and berries can be seen clustered in thick heads.

Jack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema triphyllumJack-in-the-pulpit, or Indian turnip,is a perennial that develops from anunderground corm. There are noleaf-bearing stems. The one or twoleaves present grow from the plant’sbase and may reach a height of morethan one foot. Each leaf is dividedinto three smooth leaflets. The flow-ers lack petals and are clustered at thebase of a cylindrical column called aspadix, that is covered by a leaflikestructure (spathe) that encircles it andarches over the top. The spathe can

be green, purple or purple striped. The common name forthis plant is derived from this arrangement (the Jack, orpreacher, in his covered pulpit). The fruit is a red berry, andberries are arranged in a cluster. Jack-in-the-pulpit flowers inApril and May in woods throughout the state.

Jacob’s-ladder Polemonium reptansA perennial that grows from a short, thick root, Jacob’s-lad-der may have upright or spreading stems and can reach onefoot in height. The pinnately compound leaves arearranged alternately on the stem. Each leaf has three to 13oblong, smooth leaflets. Five pale blue petals develop perflower, with flowers clustered at the tip of the stem. Eachflower may be two-thirds inch wide. The fruit is an ovoidcapsule that usually contains three seeds. Jacob’s-laddergrows statewide in rich woods and flowers from Aprilthrough June.

mayapple Podophyllum peltatum The mayapple, or mandrake, is a common perennialinhabitant of woods throughout Illinois. It developsfrom an underground stem. The smooth, upright stemgrows to about two feet in height and has two umbrel-lalike leaves, each with five to nine lobes. A single leafmay be 14 inches wide. The leaves attach to the stalkfrom their bottom center. Flowering occurs from lateMarch to June. One white flower develops where theleaf stalks join the main stem. The flower has six to ninepetals and only lasts for a day or two. The fruit is anovoid, yellow berry that may be two inches long. Thefruit ripens in August.

purple trillium Trillium recurvatum The purple trillium is also known as the purple wakerobin. Found statewide in rich woods, this perennial aris-es from thick roots. Its upright, unbranched stem may beone and one-half feet tall. Three leaves are present in awhorl under the flower. Leaves are mottled and up to fourinches long. A single flower blooms at the stem tip. Theflower has three maroon petals, each up to one and one-half inches long. The fruit is an ovoid, six-angled dryberry, about three-fourths inch long. This species bloomsin Illinois from late March to late May.

rue anemone Anemonella thalictroides Rue anemone is a perennial plant that grows from thickroots. Its upright, unbranched stems may attain a heightof eight inches. The plant’s compound leaves have threedivisions that are further divided into three oval leaflets.Flowers develop in a small cluster at the stem tip. Eachflower may be one inch wide and has its own stalk. Thereare no petals. What appear to be petals are actually sepals,with five to nine per flower. Sepals may be white, pink,lavender or shades of these colors. Fruits are a cluster ofachenes, dry, hard fruits with one seed. Each achene maybe up to one-half inch long. Rue anemone growsstatewide in dry open woods, and blooms from lateMarch through June.

sharp-lobed hepatica Hepatica acutilobaAlso known as liver-leaf, sharp-lobed hepati-ca grows statewide inrich upland woods.This perennial plant hasno leaf-bearing stems.Leaves arise from thebase of the plant onlong stalks. Each leafhas three, pointedlobes. Flowers develop

singly on stalks that may be eight inches tall. There are nopetals. Each flower is composed of five to nine sepals that arewhite to lavender in color. Fruits are dry, hard, one-seededstructures (achenes). Sharp-lobed hepatica flowers from earlyMarch to early May.

showy orchis Galearis spectabilis Showy orchis grows throughout Illinois in rich low woodsand blooms from mid-April through June. It is a perennialwhose two leaves grow from the base of the plant. Eachsmooth leaf may be up to six inches long and three incheswide. Flowers develop in a short spike. Each flower, purpleand white, is about one inch long. There are three petals perflower, covered by a hood of the united three sepals. Thefruit is a capsule, about one inch in length.

Solomon’s-seal Polygonatum commutatum This perennial wildflowergrows from a thick under-ground stem. Its upright,unbranched leaf stemsattain a height of one tothree feet. The lance-shaped to oval leaves arearranged alternately onthe stem. Leaves are

smooth and may be six inches long and four inches wide.Flowers hang from leaf axils in clusters of two. The green-white flowers are shaped like a tube. The fruit is a spherical,dark-blue berry. Solomon’s-seal grows statewide in richwoods, on riverbanks and in thickets. It flowers from Maythrough mid-June

spotted touch-me-not Impatiens capensis An annual herb, spotted touch-me-not has upright stemsthat may grow to eight feet tall. The smooth, toothed leavesalternate on the stem. Each leaf may be up to three incheslong. Orange flowers, up to one and one-half inches inlength, arise from the tip of the leaf petiole. The fruits arecapsules, up to one inch long. Spotted touch-me-not growsin moist woods, on stream banks, in marshes and inswamps. Flowers develop from June through September.

When mature capsules are touched, they split open, throw-ing the seeds several feet away.

spring beauty Claytonia virginica A woodland carpet of spring beauty flowers is a commonsight from March through May. Two leaves develop oppo-site each other, with each leaf up to six inches long and one-half inch wide. Flowers form in a cluster at the stem tip. Asingle flower may be one inch wide. The five petals arewhite or pink. The fruit is a nearly spherical capsule, aboutone-fourth inch in diameter, with three to six flat seeds.This perennial grows statewide in moist or dry open woodsand occasionally prairies, as well as parks, cemeteries andlawns under tree canopies.

squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis Squirrel corn has an appearance very similar to that ofDutchman’s-breeches. Its common name is derived from itsyellow tuber that looks like a grain of corn a squirrel mayhave buried. This perennial has no leaf-bearing stems. Theleaves grow from the base of the plant and are finely divid-ed. Flowers are clustered at the tip of a stalk that may be 12inches tall. Four white or yellow-white petals are arranged intwo pairs with rounded spurs at their base. A flower may betwo-thirds inch long and three-fourths inch wide. The fruitis a capsule, about one inch long, that splits down the sidesto release seeds. Squirrel corn grows statewide in rich woodsand flowers from late March through mid-May.

toothwort Dentaria laciniata Also known as pepper-root, toothwort is a perennial plantwith unbranched stems that may be up to one foot in height.Leaves develop at the base of the plant as well as in a whorlof three below the flowers. Leaves are palmately lobed, andthe lobes are usually coarsely toothed. Flowers are up tothree-fourths inch long and wide and develop in clusters atthe stem tip. Flower petals may be white, pale lavender orpink. The fruit is long (up to one and one-half inches) andslender, with a single row of seeds. Flowering occurs fromearly March to April in rich woods throughout the state. Itis one of the first wildflowers to bloom in spring.

trumpet creeper Campsis radicans A perennial woody vine,trumpet creeper climbs usingaerial rootlets. Its leaves arearranged oppositely on thestem and are pinnately com-pound, with seven to 11toothed leaflets. The orange-red flowers have five petals ina trumpetlike arrangement.Each flower is about threeinches long. The fruit is a cap-

sule. Trumpet creeper is native to the southern half of Illinoisbut has spread statewide. It grows in roadsides, fields, thick-ets and the edges of woods. Flowers are produced from Junethrough August.

white trout lily Erythronium albidum White trout lily,adder’s tongue andwhite dog-tooth vio-let are all commonnames for this peren-nial species. Thereare no leaf-bearingstems, but the plantdoes produce twobasal leaves, somewith dark blotches,

that may be six to nine inches tall. Its single flower has sixwhite petals that may show purple on the back. The fruit is acapsule with several seeds. White trout lily may be foundstatewide growing in woods and fields. It flowers from Marchthrough May.

wild geranium Geranium maculatum A perennial plant that growsfrom thick roots, wild gerani-um has upright stems that maygrow to one and one-half feettall. The leaves at the base ofthe plant have three to fivelobes, are hairy and may be upto five inches wide. The stemleaves are opposite, hairy andsmaller than the basal leaves.Flowers are produced in a clus-

ter at the stem tip. Each flower has five, rose-purple petalsthat may be one and one-half inches long. The fruit is a cap-sule, about one and one-half inches long. Wild geraniumgrows statewide in rich woods and produces flowers mid-April through June.

wild ginger Asarum canadense Wild ginger flowers from April through May in rich Illinoiswoodlands. A perennial plant, it grows from undergroundstems and fleshy roots. There are no stems above ground.Two oppositely arranged leaves are produced, each leafbeing heart-shaped, hairy, about six inches long and on ahairy stalk. The single flower arises from the leaf axil. Thereare no petals. Three maroon sepals have the appearance ofpetals. Sepals are united at the base and usually the tipspoint downward. The fruit is a spherical capsule about one-third inch in diameter. When disturbed, the undergroundstem gives off the aroma of ginger.

woolly blue violet Viola sororia The woolly blue violet is the State Flower of Illinois. A peren-nial plant, it grows to three to eight inches in height. Theheart-shaped leaves are produced in a cluster close to theground. Blue or purple flowers arise on separate stalks thanthe leaves, with one flower per stalk. Flowers are variable insize, color and shape. Leaves are often taller than the flowers.Each flower has five petals, and the lower petals show muchveining. The fruit is a capsule with several seeds. Foundstatewide in woods, this violet flowers from March throughMay.

yellow bellwort Uvularia grandiflora Flowers are produced in this perennial species frommid-April through mid-May. Found statewide in richwoods, this wildflower grows from thick roots. Itsupright, smooth stems are often branched and may beone and one-half feet tall. The simple leaves arearranged alternately on the stem. Each leaf is oblong tooval, smooth and about four inches long. The leafappears to surround the stem. Each yellow flower maybe one and one-half inches long and is found singly atthe stem tip, where it droops from a curved stalk. Thefruit is a three-angled capsule, up to one-half inch inlength with a few seeds.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) provides additional information andresources about woodland wildflowers in our state. Researchers at the Illinois Natural HistorySurvey study woodland wildflowers, their distributions and population levels, and maintaincollections of specimens. The Division of Natural Heritage monitors populations of woodlandwildflowers and makes and implements management options. The Division of ResourceReview and Coordination reviews development plans proposed by local and state govern-ments and recommends measures to reduce or avoid adverse impacts to threatened or endan-gered species and their habitats. The Division of Education provides educational materials andteacher training on a variety of natural resources topics, including woodland wildflowers, andoffers grants for schoolyard wildlife habitat development and field trips for students. Manypublications related to woodland wildflowers and to wildlife habitat development are availablethrough the publications order form at http://www.idnrteachkids.com.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Common and scientific names used on this poster are referenced from Vascular Flora of Illinois byRobert H. Mohlenbrock, 2002, Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, 490 pp.

Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies isavailable to all individuals regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age, religion or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contactthe funding source’s civil rights office and/or the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, IDNR, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271; 217/785-0067; TTY217/782-9175. This information may be provided in an alternative format if required. Contact the DNR Clearinghouse at 217/782-7498 for assistance.

Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois.10M–5/08 • IISG08-137

Division of EducationOne Natural Resources WaySpringfield, IL 62702-1271

217-524-4126http://dnr.state.il.us

dnr.teachkids@illinois.gov

Division of Natural HeritageOne Natural Resources WaySpringfield, IL 62702-1271

217-785-8774http://dnr.state.il.us/offices/resource.htm

Division of Resource Reviewand Coordination

One Natural Resources WaySpringfield, IL 62702-1271

217-785-5500http://dnr.state.il.us/orep/nrrc/nrrc.htm

Illinois Natural History Survey1816 South Oak StreetChampaign, IL 61820

217-333-6880http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/

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Superior Ovary Inferior Ovary

Flowers growing in forested areas must be ableto survive changing conditions. They adapt tothese changes in several ways. Many woodlandwildflowers complete their life cycle early in thespring. In this manner, they are able takeadvantage of sunlight that will soon be blockedwhen leaves on canopy trees unfurl. They mustquickly grow, flower and produce seeds. Theirseeds can survive until conditions for growth arefavorable. Several species grow from undergroundstructures that store food produced during theshort growing season. Other wildflowers ofwoodland habitats are adapted to conditions oflow light, blooming later in the year and for alonger period of time. Those wildflowers growingnear the edge of woodlands have access to morelight than interior woodland species.

WOODLANDI l l i n o i s

Wildflowers

Photo © Kenneth R. RobertsonPhoto © Kenneth R. Robertson

Illustrations used with permission from Spring Woodland Wildflowers of Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), 1980. Forest Trees of Illinois, IDNR, 2006, and Illinois’ Forest Facts, IDNR, 2006.

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green dragon Arisaema dracontiumgreen dragon Arisaema dracontium

Glossaryannual plant that completes a cycle

from seed germination to seedproduction in one year

berry multi-seeded fleshy fruit

bulb underground bud with fleshyleaves and a flat stem

corm underground vertical stem withscaly leaves

nutlet a small nut

perennial plants that live three or moreyears

tuber underground stem used as astorage organ

Flower and Fruit StructuresLeaf Shape