Effect of Transpiration on the Monocot Ornamental Plants Leave Anatomy

Transpiration refers to the loss of water from leaves, and increased levels can lead to changes in leaf morphology and anatomy, affecting the total thickness. This study aims to determine the effect of transpiration on leaf anatomy, particularly thickness, in six types of monocots ornamental plants, namely Rhoeo discolor (L'Her.) Hance ex Walp., Hymenocallis littoralis (Jacq.) Salisb., Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A. Chev., Chlorophytum laxum R. Br, Dracaena reflexa Lam, and Aglaonema commutatum Schott. The study procedures were conducted using a Factorial Completely Randomized Design (Factorial CRD) with an experimental approach. The first factor was the type of plant, while the second was the condition before and after transpiration. The data obtained were analyzed using ANOVA, followed by LSD and Pearson correlation tests. The results showed that the plant type factor significantly affected the thickness of leaf tissues. The conditions before and after transpiration also significantly impacted all leaf tissues except for the lower epidermis. Furthermore, this finding was supported by the positive correlation between the thickness shrinkage of the upper epidermis-mesophyll and transpiration. The results also revealed that the mesophyll of R. discolor, C. laxum, D. reflexa, and A. commutatum differentiated into palisade and spongy layers, but there was no differentiation in the other two species. The transpiration rate was observed to change along with the specific anatomical structure of the leaf tissues. The lowest rate was found in R. discolor with thicker hypodermis tissue, while the highest was in C. laxum with thinner mesophyll.