Heteroblasty

Difference in plant characteristics in juveniles vs. adults

Heteroblasty is the significant and abrupt change in form and function, that occurs over the lifespan of certain plants. Characteristics affected include internode length and stem structure as well as leaf form, size and arrangement. It should not be confused with seasonal heterophylly, where early and late growth in a season are visibly different. This change is different from a homoblastic change which is a gradual change or little change at all, so that there is little difference between the juvenile and adult stages. Some characteristics affected by heteroblastic change include the distance between successive leaves and stem structure as well as leaf form, size and arrangement. Heteroblasty is found in many plant families as well as only some species within a genus. This random spread of heteroblastic plants across species is believed to be caused by convergent evolution.

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