1. Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora: leaf cuticle and bioclimatic variability.
- Author
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Nunes, Sílvia C., Nunes, Paulo, Fernandes, Mariana, Maia, A., Bacelar, E., Cruz, Rebeca, Boatto, A., Rocha, João, Casal, Susana, Zea Bermudez, Verónica de, and Crespí, António L.
- Abstract
A chemical, morphological, structural, optical, and histological analysis of the waxes of the Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora leaf surfaces was here conducted. The wettability of the adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces was also examined in detail. The results obtained were correlated with the bioclimatic (thermopluviometric) characterization of this species, based on the wild occurrence of its parental species (C. aurea and C. pottsii). To get a better insight into the potential correlation existent between chemical/morphological/structural characteristics and thermopluviometric data, the data for Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora were subsequently contrasted with the corresponding body of information we reported earlier for seven species with different biogeographic distributions (Ceratonia siliqua L., Cercis siliquastrum L., Arundo donax L., Agapanthus africanus (L.) Hoffmann, Corymbia citriodora (Hook), Eucalyptus gunnii Hook. (Hook), and Eucalyptus globulus Labill). The results of this comparison highlight major correlations between the bioclimatic variability of the species and the chemical composition of waxes, but low or no apparent correlations with the other parameters examined. This conclusion strongly suggests the relevance of the chemical composition of leaf cuticle waxes in describing the response of vascular plants to the environmental matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
- Published
- 2024
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