The process of natural leaf senescence of Cinnamomum camphora (C. camphora)-a commercial tree in Asia, was investigated, focusing on changes in cellular ultrastructure, epicuticular wax, and stoma. The changes to mesophyll cells in a senescing leaf predominantly include degradation of the following cellular components: cytoplasm, the central vacuole, small vacuoles, and vesicles with a diameter smaller than 400 nm, which are involved in the degradation of chloroplasts. The sequence of change in epicuticular wax during leaf senescence was different from those in herbaceous plants by atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscopic analysis. Comparing with maturation leaves, senescing leaves develop a wider aperture in their stoma, which would delay the leaf senescence of C. camphora.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.