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Two types of carbon fixation in tropical orchids

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Summary

The isotopic composition of the carbon (δ13C values) of leaf tissue from 10 species and hybrids of orchids grown in Singapore fell into two groups, one having a mean value of-15.4‰, the other-26.6‰. The least negative of these values was associated with thick-leaved plants (0.2–0.4 mm). This is consistent with the view that some orchids are CAM plants and others possess a C3 type of carbon fixation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Botany School, University of Melbourne, 3052, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    T. F. Neales

  2. Biology Department, Nanyang University, Republic of Singapore

    C. S. Hew

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  1. T. F. Neales
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  2. C. S. Hew
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Neales, T.F., Hew, C.S. Two types of carbon fixation in tropical orchids. Planta 123, 303–306 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390710

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390710

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