Figures (5)  Tables (1)
    • Figure 1. 

      Phenotypes of (a) plants and (b) leaves of five Dianthus plants: D. caryophyllus, D. gratianopolitanus, D. spiculifolius (WT), D. spiculifolius (HW), and D. carthusianorum. WT: wild type; HW: high wax content. Bar = 1 cm (b).

    • Figure 2. 

      Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of cuticular wax crystals on the adaxial leaf surface of five Dianthus plants obtained by three leaf sample fixation methods. (a) Cuticular wax morphology of leaf samples fixed with glutaraldehyde (2.5%) and then dehydrated with alcohol. (b) Cuticular wax morphology of leaf samples dried at 40 °C. (c) Cuticular wax morphology of leaf samples air-dried at room temperature. Red arrows indicate rodlet-shaped wax crystals, and red arrowheads indicate irregular platelet-shaped wax crystals. Bar = 1 µm. WT, wild type; HW, high wax content.

    • Figure 3. 

      Cryo-SEM images of cuticular wax crystals on the adaxial leaf surface of five Dianthus plants. (a) D. caryophyllus, (b) D. gratianopolitanus, (c) D. spiculifolius (wild-type, WT), (d) D. spiculifolius (high wax mutant, HW), (e) D. carthusianorum. Red arrows indicate tubular wax crystals, and red arrowhead indicates irregular platelet-shaped wax crystals. Bar = 1 µm. WT, wild type; HW, high wax content.

    • Figure 4. 

      Comparison of cuticle permeability, non-stomatal water loss and chlorophyll leaching rates in leaves of five Dianthus plants. (a) Five Dianthus leaves were immersed for 24 h in 0.05% toluidine blue-O and then rinsed with water. (b) The rate of non-stomatal water loss from Dianthus leaves at 38 °C for 240 min. Water loss rate was expressed as a percentage of fresh weight at each individual time point versus initial fresh weight. Error bars represent standard error (SE) (n = 3). (c) The rate of chlorophyll leaching from Dianthus leaves within 24 h. Chlorophyll leaching rate was expressed as a percentage of extracted chlorophyll content at each individual time point versus chlorophyll content at 48 h after initial immersion. Error bars represent SE (n = 3). WT, wild type; HW, high wax content.

    • Figure 5. 

      Main components of cuticular wax on the leaves of five Dianthus plants and their proportion to total wax abundance. (a) D. caryophyllus, (b) D. gratianopolitanus, (c) D. spiculifolius (WT, wild type), (d) D. spiculifolius (HW, high wax content), (e) D. carthusianorum.

    • ClassificationNameChemical formulaWax load (µg/cm2)
      Ds (HW)SE (n = 3)Ds (WT)SE (n = 3)DcartSE (n = 3)DgSE (n = 3)DcarySE (n = 3)
      Fatty acidsOleic acidC18H34O20.01170.00330.00380.00130.00450.00090.01000.00620.01120.0080
      Erucic acidC22H42O20.00110.00020.00060.00020.00100.00010.00330.00210.00280.0019
      AlkanesHeptadecane, 2-methyl-C18H380.00070.00020.00040.00040.00090.00070.00360.00200.00260.0011
      EicosaneC20H420.04040.04040.03140.00750.11330.05000.52240.15240.43230.1792
      HeneicosaneC21H440.02730.00610.01380.00330.03560.01180.22480.06430.28210.2118
      HeptacosaneC27H561.30360.31901.04880.23820.72940.19482.53500.27121.48060.1268
      2-methyloctacosaneC29H600.00530.00140.00120.00040.00090.00000.02920.02270.00430.0021
      HentriacontaneC31H642.07270.44010.96180.22720.92190.09801.42630.15611.67300.2989
      DotriacontaneC32H66000.00110.00100.00130.0006000.00320.0041
      HexatriacontaneC36H740.00430.00220.00310.00180.00450.00190.00950.00480.03110.0216
      Aldehydes13-Octadecenal, (Z)-C18H34O0.01390.00580.00190.00040.00170.00060.02430.01930.00440.0029
      OctadecanalC18H36O0.01000.00430.00330.00040.00270.00030.00610.00460.00560.0027
      EicosanalC20H40O2.00660.27910.68010.11670.59290.13640.93090.24631.11860.2585
      Alcohols1-OctacosanolC28H58O3.99160.28954.31990.75062.27190.43690.00000.00000.00000.0000
      Ketones2-NonadecanoneC19H38O0.04180.00850.00910.00220.01600.00390.09000.06330.03080.0389
      Tricosane-2,4-dioneC23H44O20.29340.10540.00330.00070.00920.00400.94920.13750.34630.1357
      EstersMyristic acid isobutyl esterC18H36O20.00120.000400000.02910.020500
      Hexadecanoic acid, 15-methyl-, methyl esterC18H36O20.00480.00200.00090.00020.00160.00030.00150.00090.00580.0021
      Octadecanoic acid, phenylmethyl esterC25H42O20.00470.00110.00180.00040.01470.00560.05720.02910.03320.0337
      Total wax9.83521.50937.08651.35304.72400.94686.85251.20315.46791.3302

      Table 1. 

      Quantification of multiple cuticular wax components identified from the leaves of five Dianthus plants.