Date of Award

5-2-1994

Document Type

Research Paper

Abstract

Stem photosynthesis is a specialized adaptation to the difficulties of surviving in an arid environment. A number of plants in these environments have green stems, rich in chlorophyll, that are capable of contributing large amounts of photosynthate to the total amount of carbon gained in the plant. Stem photosynthesis provides for year round carbon gain when ephemeral leaves have been shed during periods of low water availability or when deciduous species lose their leaves in the winter. Measurements of photosynthetic rates, nitrogen contents, and water use efficiency were taken of fifteen stem photosynthetic species by the Scholar. Of the fifteen species chosen, all species demonstrated significant photosynthetic capacities of chlorophyllous stems except Olneya tesota.

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