Photosynthesis and Photorespiration in Typha latifolia

Photosynthetic rates of Typha latifolia, the broad-leaved cattail, are the equivalent of rates reported in tropical grasses and other plants which assimilate carbon by the phosphopyruvate carboxylase reaction, but photosynthesis in T. latifolia proceeds by a typical Calvin cycle. Glycolate oxidase, the photorespiratory enzyme, is present in high concentration in this species, but only minor quantities of the assimilated carbon pass through the photorespiratory pathway. However, continued operation of the pathway is apparently essential in the maintenance of assimilatory capacity. Glycolate oxidase function is not closely coupled to stomatal operation in T. latifolia.