It's very hard to examine Turkish tobacco leaves because they have very different leaf forms. Also traditional names were mixed with scientific classification. This thread may be a little bit tough to read.
The horizontal appearance of a tobacco leaf determines its leaf form.
For describing leaf forms of the Turkish tobaccos; first or second leaf rows (1. or 2. ana eller) in “basma” types, second or third leaf rows (2. or 3. ana eller) in “başıbağlı” types, are used.
Parts that determine the morphology of the tobacco leaves are; leaf form, form of the leaf base (stalk form) and the tip angle.
1- Leaf Form
Tobacco leaves have two base forms which are oval (ovate) and elliptic.
If the widest part of a leaf is located below the mid-leaf (close to laef base) this form called oval (ovate form).
In oval formed leaves, if the leaf blade (lamina) broaden at once and the widest part is located close to the stalk, leaf form look like a heart shape (cordate form).
When the widest part of the leaf is located in the mid-leaf, it’s called elliptic form.
In elliptical leaves, if the widest part of the leaf is located over the mid-leaf (close to leaf tip) and narrow at once to the leaf tip, this form look like an ox-tongue shape (cuneate form).
The "perfect" ox-tongue shaped leaves (sığırdili) are actually very similar to lanceolate form.
The most common leaf forms of tobaccos are as follows:
1.1- Round (orbicular) form
If leafs width and length is equal (1:1) this form is called orbicular or circular. If leaf width/length ratio is lower than 1, leaf gets a roundish (obtuse) form. There is no round leaf forms around Turkish tobaccos. But Taşova-Topbaş and Tömbeki (Tombac) are examples of obtuse leaf form.
1.2- Oval (ovate) or hearth-shaped (cordate) form
Bursa leaves have significantly cordate form. Alaçam, Bafra, Hendek and Sinop leaves have narrower cordate form. Maden and İzmit leaves are slightly hearth-shaped.
1.3- Elliptic form
This form is traditionally called “karınlı” (bellied). İzmir, Gümüşhacıköy, Taşova, Düzce, Trabzon and Pazar leaves are the examples of this leaf form.
1.4- Ox-tongue (cuneate) form
The most obvious example of this form is Samsun-Canik leaves. Also Malatya and Yayladağ are look like an ox-tongue shape.
2- Form of the Leaf Base
This is the joint part between leaf blade (lamina) and the stalk. Traditionally it’s called “zenep” in Turkish. There are two types of the leaf base or stalk; zenepsiz (sessile) and zenepli (petiolate).
2.1- Sessile types
In sessile types, there are auricles or wings. Auricle is a small ear-like projection from the base of a leaf. In this types base of the leaf slightly narrow and join to the plants stalk. They seem to be a part of the stalk.
Small-leaved sessile forms are called “basma” and large-leaved sessile forms are called “kabakulak”.
2.2- Petiolate types
In petiolate types there is a visible joint between leaf base and the stalk. Petiolate types has real leaf stalk, but as is known, tobacco leaves’ stalks don’t resemble a fruit (e.g. cherry) stalk. There must be auricles or wings (in some strains they may be too narrow) around the leaf stalk.
In petiolate types, auricles (“yaşmak” in Turkish) come into question.
If the auricles width is equal (or narrow) to the width of the mid-rib, this is called “dar yaşmaklı”(narrow auricled).
If the width of the auricle is one to two times larger than the mid-rib, this is called “orta yaşmaklı” (medium auricled)
If auricles width is three or more larger than the mid-rib, this is called “geniş yaşmaklı” (wide auricled).
2.3- For an example of different forms of leaf base;
Petiolate leaves:
Bafra, Alaçam, Bursa, Hendek and Sinop leaves are narrow auricled.
Maden, İzmit and Trabzon leaves are medium auricled.
Canik, Bitlis, Yayladağ, Adıyaman and Edirne leaves are wide auricled.
Sessile leaves:
Balıkesir is kabakulak.
Gümüşhacıköy and İzmir are zenepsiz (sessile) basma type.
3- Tip Angle
The tangent from the leaf tip to the leaf corner is called leaf tip angle. Leaf tip angles are classified as sharp, less sharp, obtuse and roundish.
Oval (ovate), narrow elliptic and ox-tongue shaped (cuneate) leaves generally have sharp tip angles (< 55˚).
Elliptic and wide elliptic leaves have less sharp ( 56˚ to 75˚) and abtuse (> 76˚) tip angles.
4- Addition
Başıbağlı and basma classificiation is only related only with the leaf size.
Başıbağlı leaves are longer than 20 cm (7.9 inches) and basma leaves are shorter than 20 cm.For this reason “başıbağlı” classification covers different leaf types like; all auricled (yaşmaklı), kabakulak and sığırdili (ox-tongue shaped or cuneate) tobaccos.
The horizontal appearance of a tobacco leaf determines its leaf form.
For describing leaf forms of the Turkish tobaccos; first or second leaf rows (1. or 2. ana eller) in “basma” types, second or third leaf rows (2. or 3. ana eller) in “başıbağlı” types, are used.
Parts that determine the morphology of the tobacco leaves are; leaf form, form of the leaf base (stalk form) and the tip angle.
1- Leaf Form
Tobacco leaves have two base forms which are oval (ovate) and elliptic.
If the widest part of a leaf is located below the mid-leaf (close to laef base) this form called oval (ovate form).
In oval formed leaves, if the leaf blade (lamina) broaden at once and the widest part is located close to the stalk, leaf form look like a heart shape (cordate form).
When the widest part of the leaf is located in the mid-leaf, it’s called elliptic form.
In elliptical leaves, if the widest part of the leaf is located over the mid-leaf (close to leaf tip) and narrow at once to the leaf tip, this form look like an ox-tongue shape (cuneate form).
The most common leaf forms of tobaccos are as follows:
1.1- Round (orbicular) form
If leafs width and length is equal (1:1) this form is called orbicular or circular. If leaf width/length ratio is lower than 1, leaf gets a roundish (obtuse) form. There is no round leaf forms around Turkish tobaccos. But Taşova-Topbaş and Tömbeki (Tombac) are examples of obtuse leaf form.
1.2- Oval (ovate) or hearth-shaped (cordate) form
Bursa leaves have significantly cordate form. Alaçam, Bafra, Hendek and Sinop leaves have narrower cordate form. Maden and İzmit leaves are slightly hearth-shaped.
1.3- Elliptic form
This form is traditionally called “karınlı” (bellied). İzmir, Gümüşhacıköy, Taşova, Düzce, Trabzon and Pazar leaves are the examples of this leaf form.
1.4- Ox-tongue (cuneate) form
The most obvious example of this form is Samsun-Canik leaves. Also Malatya and Yayladağ are look like an ox-tongue shape.
2- Form of the Leaf Base
This is the joint part between leaf blade (lamina) and the stalk. Traditionally it’s called “zenep” in Turkish. There are two types of the leaf base or stalk; zenepsiz (sessile) and zenepli (petiolate).
2.1- Sessile types
In sessile types, there are auricles or wings. Auricle is a small ear-like projection from the base of a leaf. In this types base of the leaf slightly narrow and join to the plants stalk. They seem to be a part of the stalk.
Small-leaved sessile forms are called “basma” and large-leaved sessile forms are called “kabakulak”.
2.2- Petiolate types
In petiolate types there is a visible joint between leaf base and the stalk. Petiolate types has real leaf stalk, but as is known, tobacco leaves’ stalks don’t resemble a fruit (e.g. cherry) stalk. There must be auricles or wings (in some strains they may be too narrow) around the leaf stalk.
In petiolate types, auricles (“yaşmak” in Turkish) come into question.
If the auricles width is equal (or narrow) to the width of the mid-rib, this is called “dar yaşmaklı”(narrow auricled).
If the width of the auricle is one to two times larger than the mid-rib, this is called “orta yaşmaklı” (medium auricled)
If auricles width is three or more larger than the mid-rib, this is called “geniş yaşmaklı” (wide auricled).
2.3- For an example of different forms of leaf base;
Petiolate leaves:
Bafra, Alaçam, Bursa, Hendek and Sinop leaves are narrow auricled.
Maden, İzmit and Trabzon leaves are medium auricled.
Canik, Bitlis, Yayladağ, Adıyaman and Edirne leaves are wide auricled.
Sessile leaves:
Balıkesir is kabakulak.
Gümüşhacıköy and İzmir are zenepsiz (sessile) basma type.
3- Tip Angle
The tangent from the leaf tip to the leaf corner is called leaf tip angle. Leaf tip angles are classified as sharp, less sharp, obtuse and roundish.
Oval (ovate), narrow elliptic and ox-tongue shaped (cuneate) leaves generally have sharp tip angles (< 55˚).
Elliptic and wide elliptic leaves have less sharp ( 56˚ to 75˚) and abtuse (> 76˚) tip angles.
4- Addition
Başıbağlı and basma classificiation is only related only with the leaf size.
Başıbağlı leaves are longer than 20 cm (7.9 inches) and basma leaves are shorter than 20 cm.For this reason “başıbağlı” classification covers different leaf types like; all auricled (yaşmaklı), kabakulak and sığırdili (ox-tongue shaped or cuneate) tobaccos.
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