Alla Konopelko, Nadiia Tsybrovska, Ruslan Yakymchuk, Valentyna Ponomarenko, Volodymyr Hrabovyi
Leaf and stomatal traits of some Magnoliaceae plants associated with adaptation to climate aridification
Dendrobiology 2026, vol. 96: 1-12
https://doi.org/10.12657/denbio.096.006
Abstract:
The endurance of urban green infrastructure under ongoing climate aridification is contingent upon the selection of tree species. Plants of the family Magnoliaceae are a valuable resource for landscape design, but leaf structural traits associated with adaptation to water deficit remain insufficiently characterized. The aim was to determine morphometric indicators of leaves, stomata, stomatal density, and epidermal cells in plants of the genera Liriodendron and Magnolia and to identify among them species with xeromorphic leaf traits that can support plant growth and development under water-limited conditions. Eight species and two hybrids of the Magnoliaceae family of collection of the National Dendrological Park “Sofiyivka” of the NAS of Ukraine were examined using morphometric analysis and method of epidermal imprints. Significant interspecific variation in leaf and stomatal traits was identified, with several species demonstrating characteristics that are associated of increased tolerance to water deficit. Magnolia kobus is characterized by a combination of small stomata with their high density and the highest stomatal index. A similar trend is observed in M. salicifolia, where a high frequency of stomata is combined with their small area. Liriodendron tulipifera plants are distinguished by the smallest stomata, the highest epidermal cell density and the highest xeromorphic index. The study has practical implications for optimizing species composition in urban green spaces that are facing progressive climate aridification and contributes to a trait-based approach for selecting ornamental trees with potentially favorable leaf traits for water-limited conditions
Keywords: Liriodendron, Magnolia, xeromorphic traits, stomata, urban landscaping