The water relations and xylem attributes of albino redwood shoots (Sequioa sempervirens (D. Don.) Endl.).

ABSTRACT: Plants that lack chlorophyll are rare and typically restricted to holoparasites that obtain their carbon, water and mineral resources from a host plant. Although not parasites in the traditional sense, albino foliage, such as the sprouts that sometimes develop from redwood tree trunks, are comparable in function. They occur sporadically, and can reach the size of shrubs and in rare cases, trees. Albino redwoods are interesting because in addition to their reduced carbon resources, the absence of chloroplasts may impede proper stomatal function, and both aspects may have upstream consequences on water transport and xylem quality. We examined the water relations, water transport and xylem anatomical attributes of albino redwoods and show that similar to achlorophyllous and parasitic plants,

SUBMITTER: Pittermann J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5873723 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature