Draw and describe the internal structure of a dicot leaf.

1. 1 · Open in one line. A dicot leaf (mango) is dorsiventral, with an epidermis on each side, mesophyll and vascular tissue.
2. 2 · Draw and label. [T.S. of leaf: cuticle, upper epidermis, palisade parenchyma, spongy parenchyma, air space, xylem, phloem, bundle sheath, lower epidermis, stoma, guard cell]
3. 3 · Describe the layers.
   • Upper epidermis: cuticle, few stomata.
   • Palisade: tall cells, many chloroplasts, photosynthesis.
   • Spongy: loose cells, air spaces, gas exchange.
   • Veins: conjoint, collateral, closed; xylem up, phloem down.
   • Lower epidermis: many stomata.
4. 4 · Real life. The darker upper side of a mango leaf is the palisade side; the paler lower side has the stomata.
5. 5 · Close in one line. Every layer of the leaf helps photosynthesis or gas exchange.

Scoring tip: Show stomata only on the lower side and xylem above phloem in the vein; examiners check these two details.