Do Phrags intake CO2 during the night or day?
Phrags and CO2
- Thread starter gonewild
- Start date
Help Support Slippertalk Orchid Forum:
Are you referring to CAM plants?
Many epiphytic orchids are CAM (crassulacian acid metabolism) as are associated bromeliads and others like cacti.
They open their stomata primarily at night and store the CO2 accumulated as malate in their vacuoles. It preserves moisture in an environment where it’s very periodic.
However as most phrags come from wet or very wet environments year round I would not expect them to be CAM.
Many epiphytic orchids are CAM (crassulacian acid metabolism) as are associated bromeliads and others like cacti.
They open their stomata primarily at night and store the CO2 accumulated as malate in their vacuoles. It preserves moisture in an environment where it’s very periodic.
However as most phrags come from wet or very wet environments year round I would not expect them to be CAM.
Tom499
Well-Known Member
American Orchid Society have a nice article on this for orchids generally.
https://www.aos.org/orchids/photosynthesis-how-orchids-feed-themselves
https://www.aos.org/orchids/photosynthesis-how-orchids-feed-themselves
likely C3...stomatal conductance somewhat increase with light.....with succulent adaptation(?)
usually CAM works as CO2-concentrating mechanism for the photosynthetic system to work at higher temperature &/reduced gaseous ecxhange
Last edited:
Similar threads
