Abstract
Heterophylly, or phenotypic plasticity in leaf form, is a remarkable feature of amphibious plants. When the shoots of these plants grow underwater, they often develop surprisingly different leaves from those that emerge in air. Among aquatic plants, it is typical for two or more distinct leaf development processes to be observed in the same individual exposed to different environments. Here, we analyze the developmental processes of heterophylly in the amphibious plant Callitriche palustris L. (Plantaginaceae). First, we reliably cultured this species under laboratory conditions and established a laboratory strain. We also established a framework for molecular-based developmental analyses, such as whole-mount in situ hybridization. We observed several developmental features of aerial and submerged leaves, including changes in form, stomata and vein formation, and transition of the meristematic zone. Then we defined developmental stages for C. palustris leaves. We found that in early stages, aerial and submerged leaf primordia had similar forms, but became discriminable through cell divisions with differential direction, and later became highly distinct via extensive cell elongation in submerged leaf primordia.
Highlights
Is the ability of land plants to produce leaves of different shapes on the same shoot, typically in response to environmental conditions
We focused on Callitriche palustris L., which is closely related to C. heterophylla (Philbrick and Les, 2000; Ito et al, 2017)
We confirmed that germination in C. palustris can be induced by soaking the seeds in freshwater
Summary
Is the ability of land plants to produce leaves of different shapes on the same shoot, typically in response to environmental conditions. It is a remarkable feature representing the phenotypic plasticity of plants (Bradshaw, 1965; Zotz et al, 2011). Because plants cannot escape from unfavorable environments, the ability to adapt to such conditions is vital, in habitats characterized by highly variable environmental conditions. Plant species that inhabit these fluctuating environments are referred to as aquatic plants (Cook, 1999). Some such plants are amphibious, which means they can grow in both
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