Distribution of imported (14)C in developing leaves of eastern cottonwood according to phyllotaxy

Individual leaves of eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr.), representing an ontogenetic series from leaf plastochron index (LPI) 3.0 to 8.0, were fed (14)CO2 and harvested after 2-24 h. Importing leaves from LPI-1.0 through 8.0 on each plant were sectioned into 9 parts, and each part was quantitatively assayed for (14)C activity. The highest level of (14)C import was by leaves from LPI 1.0 to 3.0, irrespective of source-leaf age. (14)C was translocated preferentially to either the right or left lamina-half depending on the position of the importing leaf in the phyllotactic sequence and its stage of development. For example, import was high when the importing leaf and the source leaf had two vascular bundles in common, moderately high with one bundle in common, and low with no bundles in common. The distribution of (14)C within young importing leaves was highest in the lamina tip and decreased toward the base. With increasing leaf age, incorporation declined in the lamina tip and increased in the base.It may be concluded that each cottonwood leaf progresses through a continuum of importing and exporting stages as its lamina expands. The photosynthate imported by a given leaf is compartmentalized, with different exporting leaves supplying photosynthate to rather restricted regions of the lamina. Such localization within the importing leaf depends on its vascular connections with each of the exporting leaves, and these are predictable from a knowledge of the phyllotaxy.