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Crystallographic studies of plant waxes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Iris Meusel
Affiliation:
Botanisches Institut und Botanischer Garten der Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 170, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
Wilhelm Barthlott
Affiliation:
Botanisches Institut und Botanischer Garten der Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 170, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
Hartmut Kutzke
Affiliation:
Mineralogisch-Petrologisches Institut der Universität Bonn, Poppelsdorfer Schloß, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
Bruno Barbier
Affiliation:
Mineralogisch-Petrologisches Institut der Universität Bonn, Poppelsdorfer Schloß, D-53115 Bonn, Germany

Abstract

Plant surfaces are mostly covered with microscopic layers of wax which exhibit characteristic morphologies, visible under high magnification. Waxes belonging to three different types were investigated. Powder data of seven natural and three recrystallised waxes as well as of two isolated compounds are presented. The mainly crystalline nature of the studied plant waxes is proved. The correlation between morphology, chemical composition, and powder patterns is discussed.

Keywords

Type
New Diffraction Data
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

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