Ingrid A. Anderson
Department of Biology, Carleton College, Northfield, MN, USA, 55057
Abstract. Light has been implicated in controlling the rate of development in the tropical climbing vine Monstera. The morphological change in leaf shape from vegetative to reproductive phase can be used as a spatial marker for differences in developmental rate and timing. This study compared the height of phase change of Monstera tenuis in both open and closed light environments as well as the amount of variation present in both light regimes. In open light environment, phase change occurred at significantly higher positions than in closed light environments. Variation of phase change height was found to be significantly greater in closed light environments. This suggests that light is a factor in controlling rate and timing of development.