You encounter a plant that has 12 small leaflike structures arrayed along a thin tube-shaped structure. Closer examination reveals an axillary bud at the base of each of the leaflike structures. What are you looking at? You encounter a plant that has 12 small leaflike structures arrayed along a thin tube-shaped structure. Closer examination reveals an axillary bud at the base of each of the leaflike structures. What are you looking at? a. 1 simple leaf subdivided into 12 leaflets. b. 12 simple leaves arrayed along a stem. c. 1 compound leaf with 12 leaflets. d. A doubly compound leaf.

A simple leaf bears bears a continuous lamina and an axillary bud at the axil of the leaf i.e. the point where the petiole joins the stem.
A compond leaf is divided in small leaf like structure called leaflet. Each leaflet has a petiole but lacks the axillary bud.
In the given observation each small leaf like structure bears an axillary bud at the base. Thus we can say that these are small simple leaves arranged along a stem.