Explanation

Atavism is also observed in plants. In citrus leaf the lamina is separated from the wing petiole by means of joint or constriction. Sometimes the winged part of the petiole is enlarged to produce two lateral leaf the trifolic etc. It shows that the citrus leaf was once trifoeiate compound but during evolution, the two leaf gets have degenerated [image:7_image17.png] Atavism ($A$) normal citrus leaf showing joint winged petiole, ($B$) an abnormal leaf with two additional leaflets