Monstera tenuis is a vine that undergoes a dramatic change in leaf morphology during its development. Its small, round juvenile leaves grow closely pressed against its support tree trunk. As the vine grows vertically, the leaves become larger, but at some point the leaves become very large and dissected and are held away from the host tree trunk on stout petioles. The juvenile leaf morphology is well-suited for diffuse light capture while the adult morphology enhances exposure to direct light. Light availability and a threshold juvenile leaf size have been hypothesized to influence this dramatic morphological change.
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