Abstract
A number of reports have appeared in the literature concerning chlorophyll and accessory pigment deficiencies in plants. These conditions are nearly always fatal as they result in nonfunctional chloroplasts. For this reason it was of considerable interest to find a wild redwood tree (Sequoia sempervirens) living in southern Humboldt County, about 15 feet tall and seemingly completely devoid of pigments.Specimens of normal (green) and mutant (xantha) S. sempervirens leaves were taken for ultrastructural, lipid, and pigment analyses. Specimens were prepared for electron microscopy by placing small pieces of leaves in 5% glutaraldehyde in 0.2M phosphate buffer at pH 7.3 for 24 hours. Postfixation was in 2% OsO4 in phosphate buffer for 6 hours. Dehydration was by a standard acetone series and specimens were embedded in Spurr's LVEM. Ultrathin sections were cut with glass knives on a Reichert Ultramicrotome and examined with a Hitachi HU 11E electron microscope.Chloroplasts of both the green and the mutant leaves were found in the thin layer of peripheral cytoplasm of leaf parenchyma cells.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
