Allometric relationships ofmalva parviflora growing in two different bioclimatic regions

A total of 660 individual plants ofMalva parviflora, a medicinal plant in many countries, growing in two bioclimatic regions were randomly collected with the aim of examining the differences in the allometry of this herbaceous plant growing in two bioclimatic regions. Allometric relationships were found in plant height, stem width, leaf area, leaf length, leaf width, petiole length, and leaf dry weight whereas no relationship was found between plant height or petiole length with specific leaf area. Plants growing in the cool bioclimatic region showed that plant height increases more than the increase in stem width, leaf length, leaf width, and petiole length while plants growing in the warm bioclimatic region showed that plant height increase was lower than that of stem width, leaf length, leaf width, and petiole length. Plant height relationship with root length indicated that in the cool region the plant height increase was less than the increase in the root length while the opposite occurred in the warm region. These differences can be explained by the effects of the different environmental conditions present in the two bioclimatic regions such as water scarcity and availability on the growth ofM. parviflora.     

高寒草甸高原早熟禾个体性状对放牧与围封的响应

植物对放牧的响应是植物在响应过程中为生存和繁殖所形成的适应策略,研究植物表型反应对揭示草原生态系统的放牧响应机制具有重要意义。以青藏高原高寒草甸主要植物高原早熟禾(Poa alpigena)为研究对象,通过放牧和围封试验,研究其个体性状对放牧与围封的响应,旨在为草原生态系统放牧机制提供理论依据。结果表明:1)在长期放牧干扰下,除叶片数和根重外,其他性状株高、分枝数、叶长、叶宽、叶面积、茎粗、茎长、根长、根粗、穗长、总叶质量、单叶质量、茎重、穗重、全株重均出现显著变小的特征(P0.05);而短期围封对于高原早熟禾叶长、叶宽、总叶质量、单叶质量、茎重、穗重、根重等功能性状的恢复效果并不显著(P0.05),表明放牧退化草原植物性状具有保守性;2)通过构建高原早熟禾性状可塑性变化谱,发现穗重、茎重、全株重、分蘖数、茎长、株高等可塑性幅度较大,为放牧响应的敏感指标,叶片数、叶宽、茎粗、根粗的可塑性变化幅度较小,为惰性性状。     

不同光照条件下三七幼苗形态及生长指标的变化

用遮阳网设置不同透光率(自然全光照的1%、3%、8%、12%和22%)处理,对不同光照条件下三七〔Panax notoginseng(Burk.)F.H.Chen〕幼苗形态指标(株高、冠幅、块根长、主根长、块根直径、茎基径、单株须根数和单株须根长)、干物质积累(不同器官干质量)和分配以及叶片性状(单株叶面积、比叶面积和叶绿素相对含量SPAD值)的变化进行了研究。结果表明:在透光率不同的条件下三七幼苗的形态指标、不同器官干质量及分配以及叶片性状均有明显变化。其中,块根直径、单株须根长、单株须根数、不同器官(块根、须根、根、叶片和茎)干质量和植株总干质量均随透光率增大逐渐提高;株高在透光率22%条件下最高;冠幅和单株叶面积在透光率3%条件下最大;主根长、茎基径、根冠比、根质比及SPAD值均在透光率8%条件下最高;茎质比和叶质比在透光率3%和1%条件下较大;比叶面积随透光率增大逐渐降低。综合分析结果揭示:三七是一种典型的喜阴植物,种植过程中适当遮阳有利于其生长和干物质积累,其中透光率8%对三七幼苗生长较为适宜。     

广西多穗柯叶片性状变异及幼苗生长量研究

多穗柯是一种珍贵天然野生药用植物,可以开发出保健食品色素和天然医用药品,广西的资源较丰富,该研究采集巴马、那坡、德保及田林等4个产地的多穗柯种子进行播种育苗,并跟踪调查测定一年生幼苗的叶片性状及幼苗生长量,并进行相关性分析。结果表明:(1)不同产地间叶片性状及幼苗生长指标均存在不同程度的差异,其中巴马与那坡、德保、田林在叶长、叶宽、叶面积、叶脉间距、叶鲜重、叶片干物质含量、叶片组织密度等叶片性状上的差异均达到显著水平,在株高、地径、单株干重、主根长、单株根干重及单株叶干重等生长指标上亦存在显著差异,且生长量是后3个产地的1~2倍;通过比较各产地的叶片保水力及植株净生长量,巴马的多穗柯植株耐旱性及生长速度优于其他三地。综合各性状表现,认为巴马的多穗柯苗期表现比较好,生长速度快,长势好,抗旱性较强,可作为多穗柯优良种源的初步选择。(2)8月份是多穗柯株高、地径的生长高峰期,建议此时应加强肥水管理,调节适宜的水肥光热条件,尽量延长幼苗的快速生长时间,以获得苗木的最大累积生长量。(3)叶片性状与幼苗生长量的相关性分析结果显示,叶面积与株高、地径、单株干重、单株根干重以及单株叶干重等呈极显著正相关,叶脉间距、叶绿素相对含量(SPAD)与株高、单株干重呈显著或极显著正相关,比叶面积与株高、地径呈显著负相关。因此,在以后的优株表型选择中,要优先考虑叶子大、叶脉间距宽、中老熟叶片叶色浓绿的植株。该研究结果为多穗柯优良种质资源的早期筛选提供了一定的依据。     

放牧践踏对黄蒿功能性状的影响

植物功能性状是构成植物个体的基础,从性状角度揭示植物个体特征的变化机制尤为重要。该研究以半干旱沙质草地优势草本植物黄蒿为研究对象,探讨不同践踏强度在生长季早期对其功能性状的影响。结果表明：(1)在群落水平上,放牧践踏显著降低了生长季早期植物群落高度;而在个体水平上,黄蒿株高不是响应放牧践踏的敏感性状。(2)黄蒿的叶长、叶宽随践踏强度增加呈先增加后减少的趋势,在中度践踏强度下达到最高;茎直径随践踏强度的增加而增加;根系和全株性状随践踏强度增加无显著差异。(3)黄蒿的叶片长度、叶片宽度、单叶面积随叶片厚度的增加而减小,且叶片与一级根数目、根茎叶生物量之间均呈显著正相关关系;放牧践踏会影响黄蒿茎直径,但对其他表型性状没有显著影响;在生长发育过程中,黄蒿通过不同表型性状的非对称变化进行性状之间的权衡,践踏强度的增加对生长季早期黄蒿根茎叶生物量积累的影响很小。研究认为,黄蒿在生长季早期对放牧践踏具有较强的抵抗力,这对生长季早期半干旱沙地放牧压力的选择和物种保护具有重要的指导意义。     

泡桐优良无性系相关选择的研究

以１０年生的泡桐无性系测定林的研究材料,通过相关遗传力的通径分析表明：叶部性状与泡桐无性系的材积、胸径、树高的生长有着密切关系。叶面积大、叶干重小、叶柄短、叶基凹入较深是材积和胸径速生的标志;叶面积小,叶柄较长、叶基较宽是树高速生的标志。     

匍匐茎草本金戴戴对盐分梯度的表型可塑性

 研究了匍匐茎型克隆草本金戴戴(Halerpestes ruthenica) 4种基株（基因型）对不同盐分处理（0,85.5, 171.0, 256.5和342.0 mM NaCl）的表型可塑性。随着盐分浓度的增加,实验植物与生长相关的性状指标 (如植株干重、总叶面积、分株数和总匍匐茎长度) 显著减小。植株干重、总叶面积和总匍匐茎长度具有显著的基株间差异。实验植物与形态相关的性状指标 (如平均叶柄长和根冠比) 对盐分梯度具有可塑性并具有显著的基株间差异;而其它形态指标 (如平均节间长、比节间长和比叶柄长)     

不同种源樟树叶片形态特征及生长差异分析

为了解不同种源樟树叶片形态特征和生长差异,该文以30个种源樟树为研究对象,对其叶长、叶宽、叶柄长、周长、叶面积、长宽比、形态因子、株高、地径等指标进行测定和差异性分析.结果表明:(1)30个种源间叶片性状的变异系数为3.88％～16.14％,显示不同种源樟树叶片形态特征存在显著差异;叶长、叶宽、叶柄长、周长、面积、叶厚...     

Population ecology in a natural<Emphasis Type="Italic">syneilesis palmata</Emphasis> stand: II. vegetative growth and population structure

Vegetative growth and changes within populations ofSyneilesis palmata (THUNB>) MAX. Usannamul were monitored in two natural stands with different levels of incoming light. This perennial, shade-tolerant herb was measured for its plant size, petiole length, leaf breadth, and leaflet number over 11 years in a moderately shaded (MS) stand and over 7 years in a severely shaded (SS) stand. At the end of each growing season, a shoot primordium developed at the center of the root system. Correlation coefficients were mostly high between pairings of two properties - total weight, petiole length, petiole weight, leaf breadth, leaf blade weight, leaf area, specific leaf area, and leaflet number. Mean annual mortality of this species was higher in SS (22.97%) than in MS (8.85%), but great fluctuations were seen from year by year. Mortality was lowest for medium-sized plants. Regarding petiole length, differences in mean annual growth rates were conspicuous, i.e., 2.6% in MS and 8.4% in SS, while growth rates for leaf breadth were 3.1% in MS and 24.2% in SS. Changes in plant frequency within individual size classes roughly showed a normal distribution curve. However, the mode varied year by year, and such changes were more remarkable in SS than in MS. Under severe shading,S. palmata had a higher growth rate and but also greater mortality than did plants under moderate shade. Therefore, one can conclude that the population structure in SS was unstable over time.     

树冠位置对香樟叶形态性状和异速生长关系的影响

为深入了解树冠位置对植物叶形态性状的影响,在常绿乔木香樟树冠上下2层和东南西北4个方位开展调查取样,系统分析了不同树冠位置间叶形态性状(叶长、叶宽、叶厚、叶柄长、叶柄直径和叶形指数)及其异速生长关系的差异性。结果表明,叶形态性状在不同树冠方位间均差异显著,但上下2层变化趋势不完全一致。在树冠上层,除叶形指数和叶炳长外,其余4个性状均表现为东侧最大。在树冠下层,除叶形指数外,其余5个性状指标均表现为东侧最小。在同一方位上,叶形态性状在上下2层间也存在一定差异,其中叶形指数多为下层高于上层,而其他形态性状多呈相反趋势。此外,树冠层次和方位的交互作用对叶片长、叶片厚、叶柄长和叶柄直径有显著影响。各层次和各方位叶形态性状间多为异速生长关系(即异速生长指数不等于1),且多无显著差异。在所有树冠层次和树冠方位,叶宽与叶厚、叶宽与叶炳长、叶长与叶厚及叶长与叶柄长之间均呈异速生长关系。可见,树冠位置对香樟叶形态性状的影响较大,但形态性状间的异速生长关系相对稳定,这是香樟叶形态性状表型可塑性和内在关系稳定性的重要体现。     

有机肥对羊草营养生长期功能性状变化的影响

本文研究不同有机肥水平下羊草（Leymus chinensis）营养生长期功能性状的变化规律、响应机制及其相关性的变化,试图为资源环境与植物功能性状的动态研究和草地生态系统的恢复提供参考。结果显示：（1）有机肥会使羊草叶长、叶面为了探讨不同有机肥施用水平下羊草（Leymus chinensis）营养生长期功能性状的变化规律、响应机制及其相关性的变化,为资源环境与植物功能性状的动态研究和草地生态系统的恢复提供参考。选择中国农业科学院呼伦贝尔草原生态系统国家野外科学观测研究站附近,割草利用超过20 a未施用过肥料的固定草场作为试验场地,围封并划分若干小区,设置对照以及低、中、高4个有机肥施用水平（有N效养分用量分别为0、 63、127和 190 kg/hm2）,在羊草主要营养生长的前、中、后期采集样品,测定相关功能性状。分别采用二次曲线方程拟合、单因素多元方差分析、Pearson相关分析和积分（逐步）回归等方法分析羊草功能性状的变化趋势、差异性、相关性及影响系数。结果显示：（1）有机肥会使羊草叶长、叶面积、自然叶宽、展开叶宽、比叶面积、茎长、茎质量、株高由先升后降的变化趋势变为逐渐增加的趋势,同时使叶干物质含量和茎干物质含量有所下降;（2）有机肥会改变羊草功能性状之间的相关性,增强叶面积与比叶面积、茎长与茎质量、茎长与单株质量的相关性,降低叶质量与单株质量、叶宽与株高的相关性;（3）有机肥会改变羊草表型性状（叶、茎、株高）对单株质量的贡献率,随施肥水平的提高,叶、茎、株高的贡献率逐渐趋于均衡。羊草表型性状影响单株质量的大小顺序为叶性状＞株高＞茎性状。研究发现,短期施用有机肥对羊草功能性状变化影响显著,且作用效果主要发生在羊草营养生长后期,尤其对单株质量提升效果显著。叶长、展开叶宽、叶面积、株高对羊草单株质量影响较大,其中株高是驱动羊草单株质量变化的最稳定因子。同时,羊草功能性状之间的相关性也受施肥水平的影响,施肥在增强部分功能性状相关性的同时减弱了其他性状之间的相关性,整体存在着一定的平衡。     

Ecological differentiation ofEuphorbia lasiocaula andE. sinanensis (Euphorbiaceae) I plant height,phenology and allocation to stems and leaves

Resource allocation and the seasonal change of stem length inEuphorbia lasiocaula Boiss. andE. sinanensis (Hurusawa) T. Kurosawa et H. Ohashi were examined in 10 populations on hills in Miyagi Prefecture, northern Japan. Differences were found in the diameter of stem, stem/leaf ratio of dry weight, vegetative dry weight/leaf area, and the beginning, end and duration of stem growth.Euphorbia lasiocaula has a thicker stem, a larger stem/ leaf ratio, a larger vegetative dry weight/leaf area, a later beginning and end of stem growth and a longer period of stem growth thanE. sinanensis. These differences support the relationships among plant height, resource allocation and phenology predicted by the mathematical models of Givnish (1982) and Sakai (1991, 1994). The tall and thick stems ofE. lasiocaula are considered to be favorable for capturing sunlight in grassy places, causing it to allocate much of its resources to the stems. On the other hand,E. sinanensis is considered to be adapted to deciduous forest floors or forest margins because it completes growing before it is shaded by canopy trees or by tall herbs, which is enabled by the larger allocation of resources to the leaves.     

Size dependence of leaf area and the mass of component organs during a course of self-thinning in a hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa) seedling population

The allometric equation, y=gx^h, was applied monthly to the relationships between two different dimensions of tree seedlings of hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) during a course of self-thinning from April 1990 to March 1991 to detect differences in biomass allocation among individuals. As the h-value in the allometry of crown length and seedling height was greater than unity for all seasons, crown ratio became greater as seedling height increased. Leaf weight ratio increased with increasing seedling size because the h-value in the allometry of leaf dry weight and whole seedling dry weight was greater than unity in every month. Therefore, smaller seedlings are disadvantageous to photosynthetic production by leaves. In contrast, the leaf area ratio was constant irrespective of seedling size because the h-value in the allometry of leaf area and whole seedling dry weight was nearly equal to unity in most seasons. In addition, because the h-value in the allometry of leaf area and leaf dry weight was less than unity in all seasons, specific leaf area decreased with an increase in leaf dry weight, indicating that smaller seedlings adapt to low light environments by possessing shade leaves. Root weight ratio decreased with increasing seedling size because the h-value in the allometry of root dry weight and whole seedling dry weight was less than unity in most seasons.     

Comparison of allometric relationships and morphological differences in Tilia cordata Mill. outer leaves exposed to different environmental conditions

The study is based on four leaf parameters: leaf width (LW), lobe length (LL), leaf size (LS) and leaf shape which is calculated as LW to leaf length (LW/LL) ratio. Under different environmental conditions, LL is an isometric character, LW shows positive allometry, whereas LW/LL shows negative allometry. Regression analysis results indicated that there is no significant difference either in slopes or in regression coefficients between investigated sites. Thus, in this study, we found that allometric relationships between leaf parameters and LS are character specific and that they tended not to differ significantly between Tilia cordata Mill. outer leaves exposed to different environmental conditions. Also, there are no significant interpopulation differences for both principal component PC1 and PC2 scores. The stepwise discriminant functional analysis results allowed us to identify a set of two leaf parameters (LS and LL) with a moderate discriminating ability (59.8%). T. cordata outer leaves are significantly larger and broader in the reference area (R-leaves) than leaves from polluted (P-leaves) site. The data also indicated that there is a relatively larger petiole size in R-leaves than in P-leaves. We found that in P-leaves, LW increased faster with increasing LS than in R-leaves.     

Phenotypic plasticity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chenopodium murale</Emphasis> across contrasting habitat conditions in peri-urban areas in Indian dry tropics: Is it indicative of its invasiveness?

Phenotypic plasticity is an important plant trait associated with invasiveness of alien plants that reflects its ability to occupy a wide range of environments. We investigated the phenotypic response of Chenopodium murale to resource variability and ontogeny. Its plant-level and leaf-level traits were studied at high-resource (HR) and low-resource (LR) sites in peri-urban areas in Indian dry tropics. Plants at LR had significantly higher root length, root/shoot biomass ratio, stem mass and root mass fractions. Plants at HR had higher shoot length, basal diameter, leaf mass fraction and leaf area ratio. Leaf-level traits like leaf area and chlorophyll a were also higher here. Mean plasticity indices for plant- and leaf-level traits were higher at HR. With increasing total plant biomass, there was significant increase in the biomass of leaf, stem, root, and reproductive parts, and root and shoot lengths, whereas root/shoot length ratio, their biomass ratio, and leaf and root mass fractions declined significantly. Allocation to roots and leaves significantly decreased with increasing plant size at both sites. But, at any size, allocation to roots was greater at LR, indicative of optimization of capture of soil nutrients, whereas leaf allocation was higher at HR. Consistently increasing stem allocation equaled leaf allocation at comparatively higher shoot lengths at HR. Reproductive biomass comprised 10–12% of the plant’s total biomass. In conclusion, the success of alien weed C. murale across environmentally diverse habitat conditions in Indian dry tropics can be attributed to its high phenotypic plasticity, resource utilization capability in low-resource habitats and higher reproductive potential. These characteristics suggest that it will continue to be an aggressive invader.     

Morpho-anatomical responses ofTrigonella foenum graecum Linn. to induced cadmium and lead stress

Effect of different concentrations of cadmium (0, 5,15, 30, 50 μg/g of soil) and lead (0,25, 50,100,200 μg/g of soil) on morphological and anatomical features ofTrigonella foenum graecum Linn, was studied at pre-flowering, flowering and post flowering stages. Morphological attributes, like number of leaves per plant, total leaf area of the plant and single leaf area, dry mass of stem, root and leaf, length of shoot, root and plant, size of stomata and stomatal pore, and the density of stomata on both epidermises were significantly reduced under metal stress at all the developmental stages. Trichome length on both epidermises increased while their density decreased under metal stress. Under cadmium stress, proportion of pith and vasculature decreased but cortex increased in the stem. Under lead stress, proportion of pith and vasculature increased but cortex decreased in the stem. In the root, proportion of vasculature and pith increased and cortex decreased in response to both cadmium and lead stresses. Dimensions of vessel element and xylem fibre in the wood of stem and root decreased under the cadmium and lead stresses. Decrease in density of vessel element in the stem and root with advancement of age was more pronounced in plants grown under cadmium and lead stresses.     

优良单株家系辣木叶的表型性状分析

为挖掘辣木(Moranga oleifera)优良种质资源,对30个优良单株家系的叶片表型性状进行研究。结果表明,除叶形外,辣木不同家系间的叶柄和叶片颜色、复叶数、复叶柄长度和直径、复叶间距、叶长、叶宽均存在不同程度的差异。复叶数与复叶柄长度和直径、复叶间距、叶长、叶宽呈极显著正相关;主成分分析表明,叶长、叶宽、复叶柄长度和直径、复叶间距、叶柄和叶片颜色是区分辣木不同家系最主要的叶片性状指标。聚类分析结果表明,30个辣木家系可分为3大类,叶片表型性状存在显著差异的家系的遗传距离较远。因此,叶柄和叶片颜色、复叶数、复叶柄长度和直径、复叶间距、叶长、叶宽将为直观区分辣木家系提供参考。     

不同遮光处理对川西柳叶菜部分形态、生长和生理指标的影响

以自然光照为对照,对轻度、中度和重度遮光条件下(遮光率分别为24%、48%和72%)川西柳叶菜( Epilobium fangii C. J. Chen et al.)的部分形态、生长和生理指标进行比较分析。分析结果显示：遮光处理对川西柳叶菜的MDA含量无显著影响,对叶长、花冠宽、叶干质量分配比例以及叶绿素a( Chla)、叶绿素b( Chlb)和类胡萝卜素(Car)含量及Chla/Chlb值有显著影响(P<0.05),对其余指标有极显著影响(P<0.01)。与对照相比,3个遮光处理组的单株根数、株高、主茎长和基径总体上显著下降,根长在轻度和中度遮光条件下略升高、在重度遮光条件下显著升高;3个遮光处理组的单株叶片数和叶长总体上显著下降,叶宽在轻度和中度遮光条件下略下降、在重度遮光条件下显著升高,叶厚在轻度遮光条件下显著升高、在中度遮光条件下略下降、在重度遮光条件下显著下降;3个遮光处理组的花柄长、花管长和花冠高显著升高,单株开花数在轻度遮光条件下略下降、在中度遮光条件下显著升高、在重度遮光条件下显著下降,花冠宽在轻度和中度遮光条件下略升高、在重度遮光条件下显著升高。与对照相比,3个遮光处理组的全株干质量和茎干质量分配比例均显著下降;根干质量分配比例和根冠比在轻度遮光条件下显著升高、在中度和重度遮光条件下略下降;地上部干质量分配比例在轻度遮光条件下显著下降、在中度和重度遮光条件下略升高;叶干质量分配比例在轻度和中度遮光条件下略下降、在重度遮光条件下略升高。在轻度和中度遮光条件下,叶片的Chla、Chlb和Car含量基本上显著高于对照,Chla/Chlb值分别略低于或显著低于对照;而在重度遮光条件下这4个指标均略高于对照。与对照相比,轻度和中度遮光条件下叶片的H2 O2含量和SOD活性略升高,MDA含量和总抗氧化能力略下降;总酚含量在轻度遮光条件下略下降、在中度遮光条件下略升高;重度遮光条件下这5个指标均显著升高。随着遮光程度的增强,川西柳叶菜的单株根数、株高、主茎长、基径和叶厚逐渐下降,而叶宽、全株干质量、叶干质量分配比例、H2 O2含量、SOD活性和总酚含量逐渐升高;其中,在中度遮光条件下,其单株开花数、花柄长、花管长、花冠高、花冠宽和花干质量分配比例最高。结果表明：在遮光条件下,川西柳叶菜可在形态、生长和生理上调整生长策略,完成发育过程;并且,中度遮光有利于其生殖分配,提高其观赏价值。     

Deciduous and evergreen trees differ in juvenile biomass allometries because of differences in allocation to root storage

Background and Aims

Biomass partitioning for resource conservation might affect plant allometry, accounting for a substantial amount of unexplained variation in existing plant allometry models. One means of resource conservation is through direct allocation to storage in particular organs. In this study, storage allocation and biomass allometry of deciduous and evergreen tree species from seasonal environments were considered. It was expected that deciduous species would have greater allocation to storage in roots to support leaf regrowth in subsequent growing seasons, and consequently have lower scaling exponents for leaf to root and stem to root partitioning, than evergreen species. It was further expected that changes to root carbohydrate storage and biomass allometry under different soil nutrient supply conditions would be greater for deciduous species than for evergreen species.

Methods

Root carbohydrate storage and organ biomass allometries were compared for juveniles of 20 savanna tree species of different leaf habit (nine evergreen, 11 deciduous) grown in two nutrient treatments for periods of 5 and 20 weeks (total dry mass of individual plants ranged from 0·003 to 258·724 g).

Key Results

Deciduous species had greater root non-structural carbohydrate than evergreen species, and lower scaling exponents for leaf to root and stem to root partitioning than evergreen species. Across species, leaf to stem scaling was positively related, and stem to root scaling was negatively related to root carbohydrate concentration. Under lower nutrient supply, trees displayed increased partitioning to non-structural carbohydrate, and to roots and leaves over stems with increasing plant size, but this change did not differ between leaf habits.

Conclusions

Substantial unexplained variation in biomass allometry of woody species may be related to selection for resource conservation against environmental stresses, such as resource seasonality. Further differences in plant allometry could arise due to selection for different types of biomass allocation in response to different environmental stressors (e.g. fire vs. herbivory).     

Phytostabilization of heavy metals by the emergent macrophyte Vossia cuspidata (Roxb.) Griff.: A phytoremediation approach

The present study was conducted to investigate the potential of Vossia cuspidata as a phytoremediator to accumulate heavy metals from polluted water bodies. Thirty-two quadrats, distributed equally in eight sites (six polluted sites along the Ismailia canal and two unpolluted sites along the Nile River) were selected seasonally for plant, water, and sediment investigations. Winter plants recorded the highest values of shoot height, diameter, and leaf width, but the lowest shoot density. Plants collected in autumn had the lowest values of leaf length, width, and area, while those collected in spring had the highest shoot density, with the lowest shoot height. Summer populations had the highest fresh and dry plant biomass, while winter plants had the lowest. Fresh production and dry biomass of V. cuspidata in the unpolluted Nile were significantly higher than those in polluted canals. Chlorophyll a and carotenoid concentrations were reduced under pollution stress. Spring plants accumulated the highest concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Pb in their root, and the lowest concentrations of Al, Cd, Cr, and Zn in their shoot. The bioaccumulation factor for most investigated metals, except Al, Cr, and Fe was greater than 1, while the translocation factor of all metals was less than 1, therefore this plant is considered to be a potential for these metals phytostabilization.