Abstract Detail

Development and Structure

Angeles, Pedro [1], Ewers, Frank [2], Lopez-Portillo, Jorge [3], Cocoletzi, Eliezer [4], Madero-Vega, Carolina [5].

Sun and shade leaves, petioles and branches of Ficus pumila .

The climbing fig (Ficus pumila) can reach considerable heights when it finds the support to ascend, such as a walls, rocks, or tree stems. It is a common ornamental in cities; it can easily reach up to 20 m attached to tall buildings' walls employing transformed adventitious roots that form adhesive pads. The leaves of this species are exposed to two contrasting environments during their development: When they grow appressed against walls, they grow in a shady environment; when the branches start growing horizontally, they are fully exposed to sunlight. Macroscopically, the sun and shade leaves look similar, although when observed under a 10X lens, the abaxial surfaces of shade leaves show more developed crypts than the sun leaves. This is the reverse of the usual expectation for sun versus shade leaves. This could be to the formation of thicker veins in the shady leaves. Stomatal densities will be measured in leaf prints, since it is not possible see them directly, because they are at the bottom of the crypts, covered by trichomes. Petioles and branches also change their anatomies when growing appressed against the walls, compared to those growing horizontally. The effect of sun and shade on the hydraulic conductivity of stems, petioles and leaves will be explored experimentally.

1 - Instituto De Ecologia, A.C., Ecologia Funcional, Carretera Antigua A Coatepec No. 351., El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz, VER, 91070, Mexico
2 - California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Department Of Biology, 3801 West Temple Avenue, Pomona, CA, 91768, United States
3 - Instituto De Ecología, A.C., Red De Ecología Funcional, Carretera Antigua A Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz, VER, 91070, Mexico
4 - Universidad Veracruzana, Fracc. Santa Rosa, Victor Domínguez 20, Coatepec, Coatepec, VER, 91540, Mexico
5 - Instituto de Ecologia, A.C., Ecologia Funcional, Xalapa, Veracruz, 91073, Mexico

Keywords:
Leaf anatomy
periderm
sun vs shade adaptations
secondary growth.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Number: DS6005
Abstract ID:812
Candidate for Awards:None