Water relations of plants
Whenever measured across a suite of different mountain environments, alpine plants (except those on almost bare rock), were found to be well supplied with water. Again, there is a risk of being misguided by the often brownish aspect, causing a lay person to assume drought. The reality is that
- Stomata stay open day by day during the growing season.
- Alpine plants have more stomata per unit leaf area than lowland plants.
- Most species have stomata not only on the lower leaf side but also on the upper leaf side. A few have "decided" to have stomates on the upper leaf side only (some saxifrages and primulas).
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Loiseleuria procumbens
(Ericaceae)