Relationships between leaf shape and climate in Rhododendron mucronulatum

9 July 2017

KOKSHEEVA, INNA; Kislov, Dmitrii; Tvorogov, Sergey; Doudkin, Roman

The relationships between morphometric parameters of leaves of Rhododendron mucronulatum and climate features were studied in the northern boundary of its distribution. The great morphological diversity in leaf shapes, including strong deviations from typical lanceolate and acute leaf shape was revealed. It was found the formation of elliptic leaf shape with obtuse apex is the result of morphological adaptation to some climatic conditions. The diversity and formation of leaf morphological features are strongly correlated with temperature and annual amount of precipitation.

10.1111/njb.01486