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Title: Translocation in Polytrichum commune (Bryophyta) I. Conduction and allocation of photoassimilates

Journal Article · · American Journal of Botany; (USA)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/2443894· OSTI ID:6809040
; ;  [1]
  1. Bates College, Lewiston, ME (USA) Northeastern Univ., Boston, MA (USA)

Leafy stems and connecting underground rhizomes of Polytrichum commune Hedw. contain leptome tissues similar in structure to phloem. Isolated stems in clonal groupings were pulse labelled with {sup 14}CO{sub 2}. Labelled sugar, mostly sucrose, glucose, and fructose, appeared in the pulse labelled stems 30 min after treatment. A small amount (3.3%) of labelled sugar was transported to neighboring stems. Silver grain deposition in microautoradiographs of interconnecting rhizomes occurred predominantly over leptome tissues. Increased amounts of translocated radioactivity appeared in starch and cell wall polysaccharide pools one week and six weeks after treatment. These results (1) indicate that transport of photoassimilate occurs through the leptome of perennating rhizomes, (2) demonstrate that translocated carbon is subsequently utilized or stored, and (3) raise important questions about the significance of long distance transport in the life strategy of this complex clonal moss.

OSTI ID:
6809040
Journal Information:
American Journal of Botany; (USA), Vol. 75:2; ISSN 0002-9122
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English