Chloroplast division during leaf development of Xanthium pensylvanicum Wallr. (Compositae)

Abstract

Division and growth of chloroplasts was studied during leaf development of <em>Xanthium pensylvanicum</em> at various stages of development represented by the leaf plastochron index.Between leaf plastochron indices -1.00 and 2.56 chloroplast division was observed with little enlargement. Between 2.50 and 5.00 chloroplasts enlarged in diameter with an average rate of 0.21 µm per day. At leaf plastochron index 5.00 chloroplasts attained their mature size of 6.12 µm. No chloroplast division was found after leaf plastochron index 2.50. A change in shape of plastids from spherical proplastids to discoidal accompanied their growth during stages 2.50 and 5.00.