Patterns of calcium oxalate crystals in young tropical leaves: a possible role as an anti-herbivory defense

 

Tallennettuna:
Bibliografiset tiedot
Tekijä: Finley, David S
Aineistotyyppi: artículo original
Tila:Versión publicada
Julkaisupäivä:1999
Kuvaus:Calcium oxalate crystal formation and leaf toughness were measured and compared in five species, (Cyclanthus subpalmata, Pandanus leram, Crinum amabile, Heliconia longiflora and Guzmania zahnii) preselected for known leaf raphide production and toughness. Nine to eleven representative individuals from each species were randomly selected for the same microenvironment. The study was conducted in Las Cruces, Costa Rica. Leaves from each species were classified as two age classes: young and mature. Leaf crystal number was quantified by light microscopy. Leaf toughness was measured with a penetrometer. For all five species, the number of crystals was highest in young leaves and lowest in mature leaves. In addition, crystal formation was inversely related both to the leaf age class and to leaf toughness. It is proposed that crystal formation may be an alternative plant defense to toughness in young leaves.
Maa:Portal de Revistas UCR
Organisaatio:Universidad de Costa Rica
Repositorio:Portal de Revistas UCR
Kieli:Inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:portal.ucr.ac.cr:article/18998
Linkit:https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/article/view/18998
Sanahaku:calcium oxalate
raphide
crystal
toughness