Nature Observation: Part 3

For my third nature observation I chose to write about a leaf from a rubber tree. Since freshman year, I have spent every Tuesday and Thursday morning working in Sadler Hall. After my shift I walk out the door facing Clark Hall. The pathway between the two halls is lined with rubber leaf trees. For as long as I can remember, I have always taken a leaf from the tree and carried it with me to class. On the way to class I examined every aspect of the leaf. I took in the dark, but rich green and black color. The shine of the leaf was mesmerizing. Although it looked slippery, it was smooth to the touch. The shape of the leaf often varied. Sometimes it was longer and more narrow and other times it was shorter and more round. The leaves were thin, maybe the width of five or six sheets of paper. However, the leaves were strong and rigid. The leaves could handle an exceptional amount of bending before starting to crease. Even after folding the leaf completely in half, you still had to pull the two pieces apart. This was because there were small fibers connecting each of the halves that held them together. Surprisingly, there was not much liquid within the leaf. Liquid would seep from the leaf but only for a second. I was curious as to how the leaf gets water aside from the roots because the leaves themselves seemed impermeable to water. The tip of the leaf was rather sharp partly because of its shape but also the firmness of the leaf itself. There were no holes in the leaves which made me wonder if any insects had adapted to eat them or if they were lucky enough to not have a natural predator. The veins on the underside of the leaf were almost as thick as the leaf itself. The veins extended all the way to the end of the leaf and from side to side. The only thing that managed to stay on the leaf was a thin layer of dirt that I assume came from the TCU maintenance workers who constantly trimmed and blew the sidewalks.