Photosynthetic characteristic of South African sclerophylls

Abstract

Sclerophyll shrubs of the South African mountain fynbos have leaves similar in structural and physiological properties to leaves from evergreen shrubs of other mediterranean-climate regions. These leaves have relatively low photosynthetic capacities (<14 μmol CO₂ m^-2 s^-1), and are light saturated at relatively low photon irradiances (<1.0 mmol m^-2 s^-1). They have broad temperature responses of photosynthesis, moderate water-use efficiencies (∼0.003 mol CO₂/mol H₂O), high specific weights (∼200 g m^-2) and low nitrogen contents (∼10 mg g^-1).