STUDIES ON LIPOQUINONE AND PIGMENT CONTENT AND STRUCTURE OF PLASTIDS FROM NEOTTIA NIDUS-AVIS (L) LC RICH

1. The plastids of the saprophytic orchid Neottia nidus-avis contain, besides chlorophyll a, all plastidquinones and carotenoids of normal chloroplasts from higher plants. The relative concentrations of plastidquinones and carotenoids are, however, quite different from those in photosynthetically active plant tissue. 2. The plastids of the inflorescences and leaves possess osmiophilic plastoglobuli between the coiled thylakoids. The plastids of the Neottia rhizom have prolamellar body-like structures and also contain plastoglobuli. 3. Thus several observations - coiled thylakoids, lack of chlorophyll b, anormal plastidquinone and carotenoid concentrations - indicate that the thylakoids of Neottia plastids are not fully functional. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.