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DEVELOPMENTAL ANATOMY OF EPIDERMAL AND MESOPHYLL CHLOROPLASTS IN OPUNTIA BASILARIS LEAVES
Author(s) -
Freeman Thomas P.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1973.tb10201.x
Subject(s) - plastid , biology , chloroplast , guard cell , chromoplast , botany , spongy tissue , ultrastructure , biochemistry , gene
Developmental studies of Opuntia basilaris Engelm. & Bigel. leaves revealed the presence of three morphologically distinct types of plastids. All epidermal cells examined contained chloroplasts. After 13 days of growth in the dark the plastids of epidermal and mesophyll cells were characterized by the presence of a prolamellar body and fibril inclusions. Epidermal plastids which developed under light conditions contained large stromacentres and a limited grana‐fret membrane system. Guard cell plastids developed under similar conditions had a much poorer developed grana system with fibril inclusions apparent only during the developmental stages. At maturity these plastids appeared swollen or dilated. Mesophyll plastids had fibril inclusions during all stages of development and at maturity contained a very extensive grana‐fret membrane system. Microbodies were found in association with the mesophyll plastids. Starch accumulation was common in subsidiary cell and guard cell plastids.