Genetic mechanism of leaf blade flattening in unifacial leaves

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Angiosperm leaves generally develop as bifacial structures with distinct adaxial and abaxial identities. However, several monocot species, such as iris and leek, develop unifacial leaves, in which leaf blades have only abaxial identity. In bifacial leaves, adaxial-abaxial polarity is required for leaf blade flattening, whereas many unifacial leaves become flattened despite their leaf blades being abaxialized. Here, I investigated the mechanisms underlying the development and evolution of flattened leaf blades in unifacial leaves. I demonstrated that an ortholog of the DROOPING LEAF (DL) gene may promote flattening of the unifacial leaf blade. Based on the results, I proposed genetic model for the leaf blade flattening in unifacial leaves.