Abstract
The plants of two herbaceous species, namelyPulmonaria officinalis L. andSymphytum tuberosum L., growing in two deciduous forests in SW. Slovakia, were used for analysis of anatomicphysiological gradients along the insertion level of individual leaves. The gradients were established for six leaf characteristics. Specific leaf area and development of leaf area increased, while leaf tissue hydration, degrees of succulence and consistency decreased with height of insertion of leaves upon the stems. The gradients indicate the decreasing of the leaf water content and dry mass with height of the leaf on the stem. Stomatal resistance was usually the lowest in basal leaves and the highest in apical leaves of the plant. The anatomic-physiological heterogeneity of leaves of a plant is large and cannot be neglected in any anatomical or physiological investigations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Davies, W. J., Kozlowski, T. T.: Stomatal responses of five woody angiosperms to light intensity and humidity. — Can. J. Bot.52: 1525–1534, 1974.
Davies, W. J., Kozlowski, T. T., Lee, K. J.: Stomatal characteristics ofPinus resinosa andPinus strobus in relation to transpiration and antitranspirant efficiency. — Can. J. Forest. Res.4: 571–574, 1974.
Eliáš, P.: Some ecophysiological features in leaves of plants in an oak-hornbeam forest. — Folia geobot. phytotax.14: 29–42, 1979.
Eliáš, P., Kozinka, V.: Stomata in the leaves ofAsperula odorata L. andPulmonaria officinalis L. subsp.maculosa (Hayne) Gams. — Biológia (Bratislava)31: 33–40, 1976.
Farkas, G. L., Rajháthy, T.: Untersuchungen über die xeromorphischen Gradienten einiger Kulturpflanzen. — Planta45: 535–548, 1955.
Heichel, G. H.: Stomatal movements, frequencies, and resistances in two maize varieties differing in photosynthetic capacity. — J. exp. Bot.22: 644–649, 1971.
Jones, H. G.: Transpiration in barley lines with differing stomatal frequencies. — J. exp. Bot.28: 162–168, 1977.
Jurko, A., Duda, M.: Research Projeot Báb (IBP), Progress Report I, Institute of Botany, Slov. Acad. Sci., Bratislava 1970.
Kozlowski, T. T., Davees, W. J., Carlson, S. D.: Transpiration rates ofFraxinus americana andAcer saccharum leaves.— Can. J. Forest. Res.4: 259–269, 1974.
Krasnosel’skaya-Maksimova, T. A.: [Daily variations in the water content of leaves.] In Russ. — Trudy Tiflis. bot. Sada19: 1–22, 1917.
Maximov, N. A.: The Plant in Relation to Water. — Allen and Unwin, London 1929.
Migahid, A. M., Abu Raya, M. A.: Studies in stomatal frequency. II. Stomatal frequency in relation to position of the leaf upon the plant. — Bull. Inst. Fouad. I. Désert, Cairo2/2: 60 to 63, 1952.
Pazourek, J.: Anatomical gradients. — Acta Univ. Carolinae-Biol. Suppl.1966 (1/2): 19 to 25, 1966.
Pazourek, J.: The effect of light intensity on stomatal frequency in leaves ofIris hollandica hort., var. Wedgwood. — Biol. Plant.12: 208–215, 1970.
Pazourek, J.: The density of stomata in leaves of different ecotypes ofPhragmites communis. — Folia geobot. phytotax.8: 15–21, 1973.
Pereira, J. S., Kozlowski, T. T.: Leaf anatomy and water relations ofEucalyptus camaldulensis andE. globulus seedlings. — Can. J. Bot.54: 2868–2880, 1976.
Pospíšilová, J.: Water potential, water saturation deficit and their relationship in leaves of different insertion level. — Biol. Plant.16: 140–143, 1974.
Prat, H.: Histo-physiological gradients and plant organogenesis. — Bot. Rev.14: 603–643, 1948.
Richter, H.: Fractional potential losses and total water potential in plants: a re-evaluation. — J. exp. Bot.24: 983–994, 1973.
Rychnovská, M.: A contribution to the autecology ofPhragmites communis Trin. I. Physiological heterogeneity of leaves. — Folia geobot. phytotax.2: 179–188, 1967.
Wilson, J. R.: Variation of leaf characteristics with level of insertion on a grass tiller. III. Tissue water relations. — Aust. J. Plant Physiol.4: 733–743, 1977.
Yapp, R. H., Mason, U. C.: The distribution of water in the shoot of certain herbaceous plants. — Ann. Bot.46: 159–181, 1932.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Eliáś, P. Gradients of several leaf characteristics on stems of two forest herbs. Biol Plant 22, 42–49 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02878126
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02878126