[Peculiarities of circadian rhythms in plants from different geographical latitudes]

1 Two species of plants (Taraxacum arcticum and Arnica angustifolia), collected in Spitsbergen (geogr. latitude 76-80 degrees) exhibit endogenous circadian leaf movements but also movements with shorter periods. Astragalus frigidus, A. alpinus and Hedysarum hedysaroides, collected in arctic regions of continental Europe, also show endogenous diurnal leaf movements. 2. In most of the species tested, there was no difference in the length of the free running periods of plants from arctic and Central-European regions. This is also the case when individuals of the same species collected in different regions are compared. However, in Taraxacum arcticum the period is shorter than in T. officinale In general, under constant conditions the circadian oscillations of arctic plants persist for a shorter period than those of other plants. 3. The free running periods of several of the investigated species from tropical regions are much longer than 24 hours, i.e., much longer than those of species from Central-European and arctic regions. 4. The free running periods of several tropical species are temperature-independent (Erythrina senegalensis, Albizzia lophanta, Rhynchosia memmonia, Vigna catjang, Phaseolus multiflorus). In other tropical species, however, the periods decrease rather strongly with increasing temperature (Phaseolus mungo, Canavalia obtusifolia, Clitoria ternatea, Dolichos lablab, Vigna sesquipedalis, Dolichos zebra). The temperature does not influence the amplitudes in Phaseolus mungo and Vigna sesquipedalis, but it strongly influences the amplitudes in Erythrina senegalensis, in LD-cycles as well as in continuous light. 5. The arctic plant Astragalus frigidus still shows free running oscillations at 12°C, whereas several tropical species oscillate only at temperatures above 17°C. 6. The differences in the periods of tropical and non-tropical species (see under [3]) disappear if the plants are compared not at the same temperature but at temperatures which are optimal for them. If tropical plants are tested 27°C and Central-European and arctic species at 17°C, the periods always approach the value of 24 hours.