Table 1.

Mature leaf and vein pattern traits for C₃ and C₄ Flaveria species (mean values are given for measured traits ± s.e.)

Leaf† and vein pattern‡ traits	C3F. robusta	C4F. bidentis
Leaf area (cm2)NS	11·9 ± 1·3	12·8 ± 3·3
Length (cm)NS	7·76 ± 0·37	7·50 ± 0·49
Length/widthNS	3·49 ± 0·19	3·37 ± 0·41
1° vein density (cm cm−2)NS	1·81 ± 0·19	1·84 ± 0·35
2° vein density (cm cm−2)NS	7·54 ± 0·40	7·95 ± 0·42
3° vein density (cm cm−2)NS	11·3 ± 0·091	11·1 ± 0·30
Minor vein density§ (mm mm−2)*	7·44 ± 0·48	10·8 ± 0·40
Minor vein branching density§ (no. mm−2)*	24·7 ± 3·5	44·9 ± 2·8
Freely ending veinlet density (no. mm−2)**	9·52 ± 0·78	24·0 ± 1·4
Number of vein orders	6	7

^† n = 4 replicate leaves for whole leaf traits.

^‡ n = 3 replicate leaves for venation traits.

^§ 4° and higher orders.

NS, not significant; *P < 0·01; **P < 0·001.