Cladoptosis
Cladoptosis (Ancient Greek κλάδος kládos "branch", πτῶσις ptôsis "falling" [noun]; sometimes pronounced with the p silent) is the regular shedding of branches.[1] It is the counterpart for branches of the familiar process of regular leaf shedding by deciduous trees. As in leaf shedding, an abscission layer forms, and the branch is shed cleanly.
![](../I/Castilla_elastica_Bark_Scar.jpg.webp)
an abscission scar on the trunk of Castilla where a branch has been shed
Functions of cladoptosis
Cladoptosis is thought to have three possible functions: self-pruning (i.e. programmed plant senescence), drought response (characteristic of xerophytes) and liana defence.
- Self-pruning is the shedding of branches that are shaded or diseased, which are potentially a drain on the resources of the tree.
- Drought response is similar to the leaf-fall response of drought-deciduous trees; however, leafy shoots are shed in place of leaves. Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) provides an example, as do other members of the family Cupressaceae.
- In tropical forests, infestation of tree canopies by woody climbers or lianas can be a serious problem. Cladoptosis – by giving a clean bole with no support for climbing plants – may be an adaptation against lianas, as in the case of Castilla.
See also
- Abscission
- Marcescence: the opposite phenomenon – withered branches (or leaves) stay on
References
- Jim Hole (2005). "Cladoptosis". Archived from the original on 2018-08-07. Retrieved 2007-01-14.
Further reading
- K. V. Bhat; T. Surendran; K. Swarupanandan (1986). "Anatomy of Branch Abscission in Lagerstroemia microcarpa Wight". New Phytologist. 103 (1): 177–183. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.1986.tb00606.x.
- Lorenza M. Bellani; Alessandro Bottacci (2004). "Anatomical studies of branchlet abscission related to crown modification in Quercus cerris L.". Trees. 10 (1): 20–23.
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