Difference Between Stomatal Lenticular and Cuticular Transpiration

The key difference between stomatal lenticular and cuticular transpiration is that stomatal transpiration takes place through stomata while lenticular transpiration takes place through lenticels and cuticular transpiration take place through cuticles.

Transpiration is the evaporation of water from aerial parts of the plant, such as leaves and stems. It aids water movements throughout the plant. Moreover, transpiration cools the plants, changes osmotic pressure of plant cells and enable the water flow from roots to shoots. Depending on the plant surface, there are three main types of transpiration. They are stomatal, lenticular and cuticular transpiration. Stomatal transpiration is the main type of transpiration that accounts for about 85 – 90% of water loss. Lenticular transpiration accounts for about 0.1% of the total transpiration loss. Cuticular transpiration causes about 5 – 10 % of the total transpiration.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Stomatal Transpiration
3. What is Lenticular Transpiration
4. What is Cuticular Transpiration
5. Similarities Between Stomatal Lenticular and Cuticular Transpiration
6. Side by Side Comparison – Stomatal Lenticular vs Cuticular Transpiration in Tabular Form
7. Summary

What is Stomatal Transpiration?

Plant leaves mainly have stomata on the lower surface. There are a few stomata on the young stems, flowers and fruits as well. Stomata are small openings which allow gas exchange – carbon dioxide to the inside and oxygen to the outside. In addition to the gas exchange, water evaporates through the stomata. This is known as stomatal transpiration, and it is the main type of transpiration occurring in all plants.

Stomatal transpiration accounts for about 85 – 90 % of water loss through transpiration. Leaf stomata are the primary sites of transpiration. There are two guard cells in each stoma. These guard cells control the opening and closing of stomatal pore. Stomatal transpiration provides energy to transport water throughout the plant. Moreover, it contributes to the cooling of the plant. Stomatal transpiration takes place only during the daytime.

What is Lenticular Transpiration?

Lenticular transpiration is the evaporation of water through lenticels. Lenticels are the lens-shaped raised spots on the surface of the stem in woody branches of trees. They primarily aid in gas exchange. However, lenticels also help in transpiration.

Lenticular transpiration accounts for about 0.1% of the total transpiration loss. Furthermore, lenticular transpiration happens throughout the day and night.

What is Cuticular Transpiration?

Cuticular transpiration is the transpiration taking place through cuticles. Compared to stomatal transpiration, the loss of water through cuticular transpiration is low. It accounts only about 5 to 10% of the total transpiration. Water diffuses from the cuticle directly during the cuticular transpiration.

Cuticular transpiration depends on the thickness of the cuticle and the presence or absence of wax coating on the surface of the leaves. However, the thickness of the cuticles varies from plant to plant. Plants having thin cuticles lose more water via cuticular transpiration. Under extremely dry conditions, cuticular transpiration exceeds stomatal transpiration. Similar to lenticular transpiration, cuticular transpiration takes place throughout day and night.

What are the Similarities Between Stomatal Lenticular and Cuticular Transpiration?

• Stomatal, lenticular and cuticular transpiration are the three main types of transpiration occurring in plants.
• All three types are responsible for the cooling of plants.

What is the Difference Between Stomatal Lenticular and Cuticular Transpiration?

Stomatal transpiration is the evaporation of water through stomata while lenticular transpiration is the evaporation of water through lenticels and cuticular transpiration is the evaporation of water through cuticles. So, this is the key difference between stomatal lenticular and cuticular transpiration. Stomatal transpiration accounts for about 85 – 90 % of water loss while lenticular transpiration is responsible for about 0.1% of the total transpiration loss and cuticular transpiration is responsible for about 5 – 10 % of the total transpiration.

Moreover, stomatal transpiration happens only during daytime while both lenticular and cuticular transpiration happen throughout day and night.

Below infographic tabulates the differences between stomatal lenticular and cuticular transpiration.

Summary – Stomatal Lenticular vs Cuticular Transpiration

Stomatal, lenticular and cuticular transpiration are three types of transpiration occurring in plants. Stomatal transpiration occurs through stomata while lenticular transpiration occurs through lenticels and cuticular transpiration occurs through cuticles. Thus, this is the key difference between stomatal lenticular and cuticular transpiration. Stomatal transpiration takes place only during the daytime while lenticular and cuticular transpiration takes place throughout the day and night. Among the three types of transpiration, stomatal transpiration is the main type which accounts for 85 – 90 % of water loss from transpiration.

Reference:

1. “Transpiration Types: Stomatal, Lenticular and Cuticular Transpiration: Plants.” Biology Discussion, 26 Oct. 2015, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Zebrina stomata” By AioftheStorm – Own work (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Lenticels on Poplar bark” By Rosser1954 – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
3. “Kale2” By Rei at en.wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia