Variation in Leaf Size with Respect to Climate in the Tropics of the Western Hemisphere

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Abstract
Leaf size variation with respect to climate was studied at 35 sample sites reported in the literature from the Western Hemisphere. The variation in leaf size was analyzed by plotting the sample sites on Holdridge''s (1967) life zone chart and comparing the percentage of species having large leaves (greater than 20.25 cm2 in area) in the different life zones. Four foliar belts were identified in the tropical basal and altitudinal belts. Three of these foliar belts were identified earlier in a field study carried out in Costa Rica (Dolph and Dilcher in press). The 4th foliar belt is not found in Costa Rica because it is confined to very dry basal belt life zones. Leaf size cannot be used to identify specific life zones or climates in either extant or fossil floras.