The role of petal transpiration in floral humidity generation.

ABSTRACT:

Main conclusion

Using petrolatum gel as an antitranspirant on the flowers of California poppy and giant bindweed, we show that transpiration provides a large contribution to floral humidity generation. Floral humidity, an area of elevated humidity in the headspace of flowers, is believed to be produced predominantly through a combination of evaporation of liquid nectar and transpirational water loss from the flower. However, the role of transpiration in floral humidity generation has not been directly tested and is largely inferred by continued humidity production when nectar is removed from flowers. We test whether transpiration contributes to the floral humidity generation of two species previously identified to produce elevated floral humidity, Calystegia silvatica and Eschschol

SUBMITTER: Harrap MJM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8897325 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature