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TYPES OF PLANTS BASED ON TYPES OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS
(all are based on modifications of the Dark Reaction)
C3 PLANTS
Examples -  most plants, ex. bean, apple, tomato, tropical foliage plants 
    Day- stomata open, fix CO2 by Dark Reaction into 3-carbon sugar acids

    Night - stomata close 


 
 

C4 PLANTS
Examples - some grasses, ex. corn, sorghum 

    Day - stomata open 
           - CO2 fixed into 4-carbon acid in mesophyll cells 
           - 4-carbon acid travels to bundle sheath cells and releases C02 for the Dark
               Reaction 

    Night - stomata close 

 

CAM PLANTS (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Plants) 
Examples - many desert plants, succulents, cacti 

    Night - stomata open 
             - C02 fixed into 4-carbon acids (malate) and stored in the vacuole of mesophyll
                cells until the next day 

    Day   - stomata close (to conserve water during hot dry day) 
             - 4-carbon acid breaks down to release C02 inside the leaf for Dark Reaction.