Leaf structure

The first volume of the new series on tropical plants investigates the leaf structure of a montane forest in Venezuela, continuing with a focus on coastal flora that has largely disappeared due to airport construction. The study details the size and appearance of these plants, including their root systems, and discusses phenology, dispersal, and propagation. Key features of the coastal plant communities include leaf size, shape, position, and movement, with equifaciality noted as common in strand vegetation. The C4-syndrome is frequently observed, and chloroplast migration within sheath cells is identified as a novel phenomenon. The impact of salt and succulence on leaf structure is examined, along with stomatal density, position, and size. Glandular hairs are proposed to facilitate water transport in two directions. Xeromorphic leaf characteristics are compared to those of plants from drier regions in Venezuela. The study also analyzes the four indigenous mangrove species and variations in leaf structure due to environmental changes and salinity. An interpretation of the slimy layer in Rhizophora leaves is presented, emphasizing ecological factors' influence on leaf structure. This work is valuable for botanists, forestry specialists, paleobotanists, research institutes, and agricultural colleges.