Leaf Area and Its Relationship with Leaf Descriptors Elements in Liquidambar styraciflua L.

Abstract

This study aimed at determining the leaf area in Liquidambar styraciflua L. and at characterising the relationship between leaf area and leaf descriptors. The biological material was the species Liquidambar styraciflua L. We determined leaf area in 100 leaves (Figure 1) based on the size of median rib (L), leaf width at higher (W 1 ) and lower (W 2 ) lobe level, and on area constants (K A ). The size of elements L, W 1 and W 2 were found by measuring with a precision of ±0.5 mm. Area constants in the species Liquidambar styraciflua L. were K A1 = 0.63, determined depending on leaf width at upper lobe width (W 1 ), and K A2 = 0.81 in relation to the width W 2 of the lower lobes. Between the scanned leaf area (SLA) and measured leaf area (MLA) and leaf descriptors (L, W 1 and W 2 ) we identified relations of interdependence statistically ensured: r = 0.960 to r = 0.971 for SLA; r = 0.951 to r = 0.981 for MLA W 1 , and r = 0.933 to r = 0.972 for MLA W 2 , respectively. Leaf descriptors L, W 1 and W 2 had a differentiated contribution in determining SLA and MLA. SLA was influenced by leaf length (L) with higher statistic safety (R 2 = 0.963, p << 0.001, F = 1277.2) than leaf width at upper lobe width W1 (R 2 = 0.943; p<<0.001; F = 797.7) and leaf width at the extremities of the lower lobes W 2 (R 2 = 0.927, p << 0.001, F = 620.59).