Loading...
MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO IRRADIANCE IN THE CAM EPIPHYTE TILLANDSIA USNEOIDES L. (BROMELIACEAE)
Martin, Craig E. McLeod, Kenneth W. Eades, Carol A. Pitzer, Angela A.
Martin, Craig E.
McLeod, Kenneth W.
Eades, Carol A.
Pitzer, Angela A.
Citations
Altmetric:
Abstract
Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides L.) was collected in situ in South Carolina from sunny and shady
locations and grown in a greenhouse under high and low irradiance. Morphological characteristics, including
leaf size, internode length, trichome size and density, and stomatal size and density, were similar among
plants at the different irradiance levels. Chlorophyll (Chi) a/b ratios did not change with irradiance, but
total Chi concentrations were higher in plants exposed to lower irradiances. In spite of these changes in
pigment composition, similar levels of nocturnal acidification were found in field, but not greenhouse, plants
at all irradiance levels. Thus, Spanish moss can respond physiologically, but not morphologically, to changes
in environmental irradiance levels. This ability should prove beneficial to an epiphyte growing in microsites
of widely varying irradiance.
Description
This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/2474626
Date
1985
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Chicago
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
Citation
Martin, C.E., K.W. McLeod, C.A. Eades, and A.F. Pitzer. 1985. Morphological and physiological responses to irradiance in the CAM epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides L. Bot. Gaz. 146: 489-494.