Introduction

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What is the Cleared Leaf Database?

This site displays scanned images of a collection of cleared leaf samples of extant plants from all over the world which are stored in the Paleobotanical Laboratory of the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ibaraki, Japan. The collection comprises leaves of various angiosperms and rare gymnosperms and pteridophytes. These slides were created by two paleobotanists, Dr. Toshimasa Tanai of Hokkaido University (ca. 3000 slides) and Dr.Kazuhiko Uemura of the National Museum of Nature and Science (ca. 1500 slides) in order to understand the morphological characteristics of extant plant genera and/or species for the application in identification of fossi l leaf remains.
You can freely use this site for personal purposes. Please also enjoy seeing the beautiful architecture of plant leaves.
Any questions or comments regarding this site or specimens are welcome: yabeatsu(at)kahaku.go.jp

Further references

For terminology

Ellis, B., Daly, D., C., Hickey, L, J., Johnson, K., R., Mitchell, J., D., Wilf, P., and Wing, S., L.,
2009: Manual of Leaf Architecture. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 190 p.

For plant classification

Yonehara, K., 2019: Updated Syllabus of Vascular Plant Families, based on Phylogeny-based System with List of Genera for Japanese Users., The Hokuryukan Co., Ltd., Tokyo, 357 p.

For identification of angiosperm leaves based on leaf architectures
  • Chandrasekharam, A., Megafossil flora from Genesee locality, Alberta, Canada. Palaeontographica [B], 147: 1-41.
  • Christophel, D. C. and Blackburn1 D. T., 1975. A new procedure for mounting cleared leaves using polyester resin. Trans. Roy. soc. S. Aust. 99(2): 55-58.
  • Dilcher, D. L., 1974; Approaches to the identification of angiosperm leaf remains. Bot. Rev. 40(1): 1-157.
  • Dilcher, D. L. and Dolph, G. E., 1970. Fossil leaves of Dendropanax from Eocene sediments of southeastern North America. Amer. J. Bot. 57(2): 153-160.
  • Dilcher, D. L., Potter, F. W. and Crept, W. L. 1 1976. Investigation of angiosperms from the Eocene of North America: Juglandaceous winged fruits. Amer. J. Bot., 63(5): 532-544.
  • Foster, A. s., 1952. Foliar venation in angiosperms from an ontogenetic standpoint. Amer. J. Bot. 39: 752-766.
  • Hickey, L. J., 1973. Classification of the architecture of dicotyledonous leaves. Amer. J. Bot. 60: 17-33.
  • Hickey, L. J., 1977. Stratigraphy and paleobotany of the Golden Valley Formation (Early Tertiary) of western Dakaota. Geol. Soc. Amer. Mem. 50, 191 pp.
  • Hickey, L. J. and Wolfe, J. A., 1975. The base of angiosperm phylogeny: vegetative morphology. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 62(3): 538-587.
  • Lersten, N. R., 1967. An annotated bibliography of botanical clearing methods. Iowa State J. Sci., 41: 481-486.
  • Ozaki, K., 1979-1980. Late Miocene Tatsumitoge flora of Tottori Prefecture, Southwest Honshu, Japan. (I), (III). Sci. Rept. Yokohama Nat. Univ., [II], (26): 31-56, (27): 19-45.
  • Ozaki, K., 1980. On Urticales, Ranales and Rosales of the Late Miocene Tatsumitoge flora. Bull. Nat. Sci. Mus. [C], 8 (2): 33-58.
  • Tanai, T., 1976. The revision of the Pliocene Mogi flora, described by Nathorst (1883) and Florin (1920). J. Fac. Sci., Hokkaido Univ. [IV], 17(2): 277-346.
  • Tanai, T., 1978. Taxonomical investigation of the living species of the genus Acer L., based on vein architecture. J. Fac. Sci., Hokkaido Univ. [IV], 18 (3): 243-282.
  • Tanai, T., 1980. The revision of the so-called "Cercidiphyllurn" leaves from the Paleogene of North Japan. J. Fac. Sci., Hokkaido Univ. [IV], 19 (4): 451-484.
  • Tanai, T. and Ozaki, K., 1977. The genus Acer from the Upper Miocene in Tottori Prefecture, western Japan. J. Fac. Sci., Hokkaido Univ. [IV], 17(4): 575-606.
  • Uemura, K., 1979. Leaf compressions of Buxus from the Upper Miocene of Japan. Bull. Nat. Sci. Mus., [C], 5 (l): 1-8.
  • Wolfe, J. A., 1964. Miocene floras from Fingerrock Wash, Southeastern Nevada. U. S. Geol. Surv., Prof. Papers, 454-N, 36 pp.
  • Wolfe, J. A., 1966. Tertiary plants from the cook Inlet region, Alaska. U. S. Geol. Surv., Prof. Papers, 398-B, 32 pp.
  • Wolfe, J. A., 1968. Paleogene biostratigraphy of nonmarine rocks in King County, Washington. U. S. Geol. Surv., Prof. Paper, 571, 33 pp.
  • Wolfe, J. A., 1973. Fossil forms of Amentiferae. Brittonia 25: 334-355.
  • Wolfe, J. A., 1977. Paleogene floras from the Gulf of Alaska region U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 997, 108 pp.
  • Wolfe, J. A. and Tanai, T., 1980. The Miocene Seldovia Point flora from the Kenai Group, Alaska. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper, 1105, 52 pp.
Others
  • Tanai, T., 1982. Catalogue of the Cleared Leaf Collection for Angiosperm Paleobotany. Paleobotanical Laboratory, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 95p.