Resupination on flowers may have pollination purposes, in some plants such as Nepenthes the purpose is to place the leaf that modifies into a pitcher. But, for some other species, in Alstroemeriaceae and one or two species of grasses (Pharoideae) where resupination of the leaves has been observed, there is not an actual hypothesis of the benefits of such condition.
It may have no purpose. It's very hard to know since plants don't talk! I think that is a teleological question (starting from the end and reasoning back, explaining things based on their end purpose), so the answer depends on your belief, whether creationist or evolutionist. But there's nothing wrong with having a hypothesis!
According to Lysede (2002), the commonly occurred resupination in leaves of Alstroemeriaceae members may be speculated due to some environmental pressure occurring early in the family's history for their adaptation.
The resupination in leaves is one of motion types, know for plants.
- in constant motion as they develop;
- Rapid motion occurring over a very short period;
- the pollen in pollinarium from Cataôetum is catapulted in 10 microseconds;
- in Nepentes the leaves
see
Charles Darwin published The Power of Movement in Plants, 1880
I see what you say Marpha Telepova-Texier Marpha Telepova-Texier, but what I have observed is that there 3 species of two different genera from different subfamilies that the abaxial surface functions as the adaxial surface as the leaves or more appropiately the blades bend to the opposite side, exposing the abaxial surface. Changes on the position of the phloem and xylem may or may not represent something advantageous. Other speces of the same genera do not have resupinate leaves, so I thought that could mean something, but nothing to do with creationism! Andrew Paul McKenzie Pegman. Sandhyarani Khomdram I will check that reference, I have already read some about Alstroemeriaceae, but not that paper. Because these are understory species, it made me think that maybe has to do something with gas exchange during photosynthesis. Thank you all.
Resupination is derived from the Latin word resupinus, meaning "bent back with the face upward" or "on the back". "Resupination" is the noun form of the adjective "resupine" which means "being upside-down, supine or facing upward".
The word "resupinate" is generally only used in a botanical context - in everyday language, "supine" has a similar meaning.In botany, resupination refers to the "twisting" of flowers or leaves through about 180° as they open. Resupinate leaves have the petiole or "stalk" twisted - respuinate flowers twist as they open.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Mathematics
- Statistics
- Regression