MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO IRRADIANCE IN THE CAM EPIPHYTE TILLANDSIA USNEOIDES L. (BROMELIACEAE)

View/ Open
Issue Date
1985Author
Martin, Craig E.
McLeod, Kenneth W.
Eades, Carol A.
Pitzer, Angela A.
Publisher
The University of Chicago
Type
Article
Article Version
Scholarly/refereed, publisher version
Published Version
http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/2474626Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
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
Collections
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.
Items in KU ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.
We want to hear from you! Please share your stories about how Open Access to this item benefits YOU.