Development of a tubular apparatus in chloroplasts of ageing Cyphomandra leaves.

Ultrastructural studies of chloroplasts from leaves of the solanaceous genus Cyphomandra during maturation and early senescence showed unusual activities of the inner chloroplast membrane. Before leaf maturity, released small vesicles and saccules. During continued development these structures apparently produced narrow, irregular small tubules which by short branching, slight enlargement and slight coiling became closely associated to form a relatively small tubular apparatus. In the senescing leaf the inner membrane developed long and enlarged extensions into the matrix which branched and coiled in a few cases so as to isolate bits of matrix which were released into the cytoplasm.