Arrangement of Stomata on the Leaves of Pelargonium zonale and Sedum stahlii

Abstract

Stomata of Pelargonium zonale are orderly arranged on the surface of the lower epidermis. Inter-stomatal and Inter-trichome distances as well as the number of sides of stomata, epidermal cells adjacent to stomata, and regular cells of the epidermis have characteristic probability distributions. A model of epidermal development is constructed based upon the quantitative features of each type of cell. The primary restriction of the model is that stoma initials inhibit adjacent cells from becoming stoma initials.

A second type of stomatal arrangement occurs in Sedum stahlii and an appropriate model for the ontogeny of epidermal cells in this plant can also be constructed that has similar quantitative characteristics to those of real fields of cells. The application of modelling in plant morphology is discussed with respect to understanding ontogeny and phylogenic relationships.