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Camellia japonica ‘Adolphe Audusson
Ontogenesis of D-type stomata and cork-warts on the leaf epidermis of Camellia japonica (Theaceae) and functional assessment
by Qi Z., Pi E., Zhang X., Möller M., Jiang B., Lu H. (2017)
Zhechen Qi, Erxu Pi, Xiaodan Zhang, Michael Möller, Bo Jiang, Hongfei Lu
Zhechen Qi, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Erxu Pi, School of Life & Environment Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China
Michael Möller, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, EH3 5LR, Scotland, United Kingdom
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in Flora 228: 24-30 – DOI10.1016/j.flora.2017.01.010 –
Abstract
Cork-warts are particular structures forming round areas by radially arranged concentric rows of suberized cells, and have been found in many flowering plant genera. The roles of large D-type stomata and cork-warts in plant blades remained unclear for many years.
To distinguish the large D-type stomata from cork-warts and identify their possible functions, both the lower epidermis and cross-sections of leaves were studied in Camellia japonica L.
Simultaneously, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) technology was used to assess whether the cork-warts were really the structures accumulating suberin. Furthermore, the gas exchange and water evaporation functions of D-type stomata and cork-warts were measured.
The results showed that D-type stomata and cork-warts had the same origin but they developed into two separate functional structures at different developmental stages. FTIR spectroscopy revealed that the cork-warts accumulated more suberin with phenolic domains, and more cell wall polysaccharide than matured typical stomata and cork-wart protomeristem.
It is proposed that the D-type stomata and cork-warts are responsible for air exchange and water evaporation and their presence might correlate with the adaptation of Camellia species to the more humid understory environment.
PLANT STOMATA ENCYCLOPEDIA 