Re: Are there more leaves than blades of grass in the world?

Wow, there are not an infinite number of leaves on this planet but close.  
The way I understand what you asked is to compare the number of leaves
of a tree that loses it leaves with grass leaves.  And if this fails add
in those that do not lose the needles.  First all the trees lose leaves.  
Those trees we say are evergreen have to replace needles as you may have
been witness to if you ever raked under a pine tree.  Second there are 
evergreens that lose the leaves in the fall, such as Baldcypress.  When you
say grass I will take you to mean grass or grasslike not herbs.

However, some calculations on the numbers of leaves may help answer the 
questiion.  A tree is vertical with many thousands of leaves.  And some 
trees have very small leaves while others are large.  The leaves are
placed on branches which occupy vertical space.  You can have layers
of leaves but not totally overlapping as they all need light to function.
Even with this consideration the number of leaves a tree could have in 
a square meter is easily more than the number of blades of grass in that 
same square meter.  Trees and grass do not occupy the same 
space on the ground (trees shade out the grass).  This is an advantage
for the trees.  

There is no real way to tell which has the more leaves.  But area for 
area the tree seems to have more leaves than the same area of grass.  
One fact is that both trees and grass depend on photosynthesis to live.
A grass is small and a tree is large.  Given that both require the same
amount of energy to live they both require equal amounts of chlorophyll.
The chlorophyll is in the leaves.  Larger organisms require more energy.


Sorry for the long windedness but this is a question that seems it may
be answered in theory.  I hope this helps.