RESPONSE OF CO2 UPTAKE, CHLOROPHYLL CONTENT, AND SOME PRODUCTIONAL FEATURES OF FOREST HERB SMYRNIUM-PERFOLIATUM L. (APIACEAE) TO DIFFERENT LIGHT CONDITIONS

Smyrnium perfoliatum L. (Apiaceae), an endangered summer forest herb g rown in the understory of dominant oak-hornbeam stands in Devinska Kob yla, Little Carpathians region in SW Slovakia, is considered to form a t least five leaf types of different physiological and anatomical qual ity. These observation are based upon the estimated differences of pho tosynthetic carbon dioxide uptake, chlorophyll content, leaf anatomy, and several quantitative parameters of growth analysis. There is a fur ther attempt to establish, to what extent the daily changing environme nt, especially the excess of light of fast-moving sun-flecks by the ph otosynthetic apparatus within any leaf type, according to its dominant shade adaptation could be effectively used.