Transpiration--a peculiar word for the type of "breathing" that a plant does. Carbon dioxide in, water and oxygen out. Microscopic pores in the leaf surface called stomata are the conduits through which these gases are exchanged. Here's an image of a spiderwort leaf showing the structures (green) sprinkled across the underside.
Stomata are comprised of an opening called a stoma (meaning "mouth") surrounded by guard cells that control the opening and closing. Adjacent epidermal cells support the stomate.
At yesterday's bonsai club meeting, I presented my monthly Zoom talk on plant structure and function. The topic was appropriate to the season: cold hardiness. Next month's presentation will be on wind (appropriate for March) and its effect on our small trees. So expect more essays on the movement of water in plants, water loss, and the mysterious boundary layer.
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