Accumulation of red (retro)-carotenoids during winter acclimation and de-acclimation in Buxus sempervirens leaves. The bottom and middle images, showing the process of leaf reddening in the same branch, were obtained in the field in winter (March) and late spring (June). Transverse sections under epifluorescence and bright field microscopy are shown on the right side of each picture. The top image shows the transmittance spectra of red and green leaves of this species and the molecular structure of carotenoids implicated in leaf reddening. The accumulation of these compounds under photoinhibitory conditions has been used to study their potential photoprotective role as light filters. Graphic design by Beatriz Alonso. (See Hormaetxe et al., pp. 2629–2636.)
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