Date of Completion
5-14-2026
Degree Type
Honors Thesis - Campus Access
Discipline
Biology (BIOL)
First Advisor
Philippa Drennan, Ph.D.
Abstract
Many plant species exhibit observable color changes during leaf development, where young leaves present pink and gradually turn green as the leaf matures. Limonium perezii (Stapf) F.T. Hubb, a salt-secreting halophyte native to the Canary Islands, exhibits this phenomenon. Digital imaging and RGB color analysis were performed. Correlations between R values (strong, positive) and B values (moderate, negative) and leaf developmental markers including stomatal and salt gland densities were found, indicating a marked relationship between leaf development and color. The pigments associated with the developmental color change were spectrophotometrically quantified. Following imaging and RGB analysis, pigments were extracted over 24 hours from L. perezii leaves at different developmental stages using ethanol (chlorophylls and carotenoids) or acidified methanol (anthocyanins). The pigments were quantified based on standard wavelengths and absorbances identified in previous studies. Measuring the differences in pigment contents of leaves provides insight into the temporal changes in pigment production, further elucidating the relationship between color and leaf development. Pigment content gives another measurable developmental change in L. perezii leaves, which may be utilized in conjunction with RGB color values, stomatal densities, and salt gland densities to render a clearer understanding of the developmental sequence for L. perezii leaves, and perhaps other species that exhibit similar color changes in their leaves.
Recommended Citation
Kotek, Hannah S. and Drennan, Philippa M., "Using Color and Pigment Content to Further Characterize Limonium perezii Leaf Development" (2026). Honors Thesis. 623.
https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/honors-thesis/623
