The leaf of Agapanthus africanus (L.) Hoffm.: A physical-chemical perspective of terrestrialization in the cuticle

Although Agapanthus africanus (L.) Hoffm. is one of the most popular ornamental species in both hemispheres, it has an extremely restricted wild occurrence (Cape province, South Africa). This contradiction between generalized ornamental application and natural distribution was the basis for the analytical approach adopted in the present work. We hypothesized that characteristic features of the cuticular waxes were adopted by this species to help it cope with severe dehydration associated with marine salinity on account of the short distance of the wild populations to the sea. A comprehensive morpho-anatomical, histological and physical-chemical analysis was performed on the epicuticular and intracuticular layers of the adaxial and abaxial surfaces of leaves of specimens of A. africanus. The adaxial epicuticular surface is hydrophilic and the abaxial epicuticular surface exhibits globally hydrophobic behavior. The main chemical compounds detected in the wax layers of both surfaces of the leaf are the short-chain monocaprylin monoglyceride (C8), and very long-chain 1-hexacosanol (C26) and 1-octacosanol (C28) alcohols. While monocaprylin is particularly abundant in the intracuticular layers, the epicuticular adaxial surface revealed the highest concentration of both alcohols. We demonstrate that the smart combination of these two classes of molecules with opposite water affinity endows the A. africanus leaf cuticle with a unique water management system combining the efficient entrapment of water in the disordered α-gel phase formed by monocaprylin and the high resistance to water transport provided by ordered domains composed of tightly packed, all-trans alkyl chains of the above pair of alcohols. The remarkable structural similarity existing between the monocaprylin α-gel and the mucilage of algae is an evidence of the terrestrialization process. •A. africanus leaf has a unique ability to preserve water in harsh marine environments.•Histological and chemical properties of leaf cuticle allow it surviving dryness and high-irradiance.•Monocaprylin, 1-hexacosanol and 1-octacosanol contribute to efficient water preservation.•Monocaprylin ∝-gel's similarity to algae mucilage suggests terrestrialization.