Capparis decidua is a dominant species on gravel and compact sandy soil and forms scattered groups of bushes on the sand dunes of the Indian arid zone. It produces minute, short-lived leaves with a maximum life tenure of 30-45 d when available soil moisture is at its minimum during the year. Intensity of water loss was directly related with the degree of stomatal opening: being maximum in the
... [Show full abstract] evening followed by morning, and minimum in the noon which also coincides with the water contents of leafy branch and old leafless branch. CAM was also observed. Neutral red uptake pattern revealed that the larger opening of the foliar stomata and as a consequence prompt uptake of this vital dye with visible protoplasmic streaming in guard cells is an indication of their higher metabolic activity. -from Authors