How a Leaf Changes Color in Fall
By Steve Nix, About.com
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Introduction to Fall Leaf Color Change
Autumn Leaf Cross Section
Illustration Courtesy of USFS
There are three major components for pigment change in leaves. Plastids (1) are minute leaf structures that carry green chlorophyll and color the summer forest. Carotenoids (2), stored in plastids, and anthocyanins (3) in sap are the leaf paints (pigments) that color the forest of autumn.
Index: How a Leaf Changes Color in Fall
- Introduction to Fall Leaf Color Change
- Where are Leaf Plastids?
- Where are Carotenoid Pigments?
- Where are Anthocyanin Pigments?
- What are Other Important Fall Leaf Parts?
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