ISSN:
1420-9071
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Chloroplasts were found in living fibres of flax-plants: in very young hypocotyls as well as in the middle and upper parts of four to five months old stems. They are disk-shaped, with diameters of about 1–2,5µ and were identified by means of a fluorescence microscope. In young plants, they are spread all over the contents of the fibres and even penetrate into fibre tips of very small diameters (5µ). Starch grains may occur in all fibres containing chlorophyll. In fibres of adult plants (wall diameter 15µ and more) the green cell contents are restricted to small isolated parts of the fibre lumen, separated by tracts of dead material with a very narrow lumen. The green parts of these old fibres can still be plasmolysed. The chloroplasts might play an important role in the increase of fibre diameter, in osmoregulation, and in the formation of wall material. The starch grains are probably changed into soluble carbohydrates, which contribute to the formation of the cellulose layers of the fibre walls.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02174428
Permalink