Evidence suggests that petals have none (Patiño and Grace 2002) or only few stomata and that water loss regulation is very limited and largely depends on their cuticle physics (Nobel 2009). Does anybody know if there is any particular study about this? How do corollas regulate water loss?
Nobel, P.S., 2009. Physicochemical and Environmental Plant Physiology. Elsevier Academic Press, Toronto.
Patiño, S., Grace, J., 2002. The cooling of convolvucaceous flowers in a tropical environment. Plant Cell Environ. 25, 41–51.
Hi Alberto--
In my experience, it is mixed. In my recent paper on flower hydraulics (http://tinyurl.com/jz4achb), we surveyed about 20 species from across the angiosperm phylogeny and found that basal angiosperm and magnoliid flowers had stomata, but many monocot and eudicot flowers had few, if any, stomata. Interestingly, although there are large macroevolutionary patterns, there is also variation at narrower phylogenetic scales; for example, within the Rhododendron species measured in our study, some species had stomata and some didn't. I'm working through the images from many more species and hope to have some definitive results in the coming months.
I have other (unpublished) data suggesting that regulating water loss from flowers is controlled by cuticle properties in many species and that this has been under selection. This isn't surprising given that corollas of many species may not stomata.
-Adam
Article Hydraulic conductance and the maintenance of water balance in flowers
I would have said yes, but if the literature is saying no, then I suppose I would have been wrong! But then petals need to remain turgid and stomata would result in water loss so perhaps it makes sense. Might be worth looking at papers from Beverley Glover's group, they work on petal epidermal cells.
Yes, Alberto, they have stomata and it is very common, but I have to look for studies about this. Actually, all plant organs may have stomata - stems, fruits, flowers, seeds - , even though in the roots they are rarely described (maybe because the roots are less studied than aerial organs). However, in some organs, stomata are non-functional (maybe they are maintained closed during all the time). Prof. Elder and Pires also studied stomata in seeds and discovered that they may help them to uptake water during germination. Maybe they may help you about this.
C. S. HEW, G. L. LEE, and S. C. WONG
Occurrence of Non-functional Stomata in the Flowers of Tropical Orchids
Ann Bot (1980) 46 (2): 195-201
PAIVA ÉAS, LEMOS-FILHO JP, OLIVEIRA DMT. Imbibition of Swietenia macrophylla (Meliaceae) Seeds: The Role of Stomata. Annals of Botany. 2006;98(1):213-217. doi:10.1093/aob/mcl090.
Please have a look at this useful link.
http://www.amjbot.org/content/98/8/1286.full
Absolutely yes,functional ones if the flowers are green as in most Annonaceae but in others partly so .Even the neatry has stomata but its function is dufferent i.e nectar secretion .
Hi Alberto--
In my experience, it is mixed. In my recent paper on flower hydraulics (http://tinyurl.com/jz4achb), we surveyed about 20 species from across the angiosperm phylogeny and found that basal angiosperm and magnoliid flowers had stomata, but many monocot and eudicot flowers had few, if any, stomata. Interestingly, although there are large macroevolutionary patterns, there is also variation at narrower phylogenetic scales; for example, within the Rhododendron species measured in our study, some species had stomata and some didn't. I'm working through the images from many more species and hope to have some definitive results in the coming months.
I have other (unpublished) data suggesting that regulating water loss from flowers is controlled by cuticle properties in many species and that this has been under selection. This isn't surprising given that corollas of many species may not stomata.
-Adam
Article Hydraulic conductance and the maintenance of water balance in flowers
Please have a look at this link and PDF attachment also.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229576104_Temperature-dependent_stomatal_movement_in_tulip_petals_controls_water_transpiration_during_flower_opening_and_closing_Research_article
Article Temperature-dependent stomatal movement in tulip petals cont...
Alberto:
Do have a look at this link for insights:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1399-3054.1990.tb09046.x/abstract
Best
Syed
Thank you Dr. Roddy for that insight into flower hydraulics, and stomatal distribution in angiosperms.
[I have looked at some Acanthaceae flowers (in a different context) but not found stomata.]
What seems interesting in Rhododendron flowers is that they show both presence and absence. What could be the plausible reason(s) for this? (I wonder!)
Regards.
Eapsa
Awesome!! Thank you all for answering!!
Your feedback is quite important for me.
Hey Bruno, indeed I am working with Elder to examine some of those patterns in Kielmeyera.
Best wishes.
Corollas rarely have stomata since the function is not the same as leaves (see: American Journal of Botany 98(8):1286-92). But stomata are more likely to be present in dicotyledonous flowers :-)
Ideally , the role of corrallas, which is mostly to attract potential pollinators (insects) has very little to do with a stomata. Therefore most Corrollas don't have stomata, However, some studies have been reported, where corollas have stomata i.e Rhizopolous et al 2006, findings.
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