These tiny drops of water are not dew. They are water of gutation--water expelled from the plant in the night because of root pressure."
From http://www.darklightimagery.net/52-6.html
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Guttation |
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These tiny drops of water are not dew. They are water of gutation--water expelled from the plant in the night because of root pressure." From http://www.darklightimagery.net/52-6.html |
| Guttation is due to pressure in the xylem that forces water out pores in leaves called hydathodes. The hydathodes are opening at the end of veins to allow water under pressure to escape. This pressure is produced by two important functions performed by the root endodermis. (1) The endodermal cells pump fertilizer ions into the steel by active transport. This reduces the the water concentration in the steel so water moves in by osmosis. (2) The water can't move back out of the steel through the endodermal cell walls because of the casperian strip. The resulting water pressure that builds up forces water up the xylem through the stem and into the leaves. Water drips from the leaves through the hydathodes to releave this pressure. |
I shot these blades of grass in my front yard early one morning. Contrary to what I thought, these tiny drops of water are not dew. They are in fact water of gutation--water expelled from the plant in the night." From http://www.darklightimagery.net/52-6.html