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Occurrence of the suberized lamella in leaves of grasses of different photosynthetic types. I. In parenchymatous bundle sheaths and PCR (“Kranz”) sheaths

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Summary

Leaf blades of 42 grasses (Poaceae) have been examined ultrastructurally for the occurrence of a suberized lamella in walls of parenchymatous bundle sheaths and PCR (= “Kranz”) sheaths in both large and small vascular bundles. The sample includes species from a range of major grass taxa, and represents all photosynthetic types found in the grasses. Three grasses with unusual C4 leaf anatomy were also included:Alloteropsis semialata, Aristida biglandulosa, Arundinella nepalensis. The presence of a suberized lamella in PCR cell walls was perfectly correlated with photosynthetic type. All PEP-carboxykinase type and NADP-malic enzyme type C4 species examined possessed a suberized lamella in outer tangential and radial walls, but with variable presence in inner tangential walls. PCR cells of bothAlloteropsis semialata andArundinella nepalensis also possessed a suberized lamella. A lamella was totally absent from parenchymatous bundle sheath cells of the C3 species examined (5 spp.) and ofPanicum milioides, a C3-C4 intermediate. It was also absent from PCR cells of NAD-malic enzyme type C4 species (14 spp.) andAristida biglandulosa. The results are discussed in relation to the leakage of CO2 from PCR cells, and to differences between C4 types in δ13C values, chloroplast position in PCR cells, and other anatomical characteristics.

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  1. Research School of Biological Sciences, The Australian National University, P.O. Box 475, 2601, Canberra City, A.C.T., Australia

    P. W. Hattersley & A. J. Browning

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Hattersley, P.W., Browning, A.J. Occurrence of the suberized lamella in leaves of grasses of different photosynthetic types. I. In parenchymatous bundle sheaths and PCR (“Kranz”) sheaths. Protoplasma 109, 371–401 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01287454

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