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kwie2011

Botanical term needed

9 years ago

Anyone know the botanical term for the way in which many succulents orient their leaf surfaces in order to catch the maximum amount of light?


I don't mean phototropism in which light is the stimulus. This seems to be a response to darkness/lack of stimulus. We've all seen succulents orient their leaf tips downward and as close to parallel with the stem as possible, as if wilted, trying to catch any bit of light they can. It seems especially noticeable in Aloes and Sempervivums. Aloes flatten out like weird starfish, and Semps point all but the newest leaves straight downward. I don't think its phototropism, at least in Semps, because they appear to do it while in the darkness of a shipping box. By definition, phototropism needs light.

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