Photosynthesis and 'inverse respiration' in plants: an inevitable misconception?

Studies have been published for about twenty years which discuss the miscon ception that I term inverse respiration' in green plants. Despite the propo sal of several partial interpretations as to its origin, this misconception continues to be found among school children today. This article reflects o n the influence on the origin of this conception of knowledge imparted in p rimary and secondary schools. As a conclusion to the analysis, a series of conceptual schemes are proposed, which could form the basis for teaching th e subject of green plants in a way that prevents or substantially reduces t he appearance of the notion of 'inverse respiration'.