This plant is native to the Gulf Coast region of eastern Mexico. Its leaves display a golden sheen when viewed under direct light. This shine comes from a collection of waxy structures that grow out of the surface of the leaf in a disordered manner. It is this disordered structure that scatters the light and creates the golden iridescence. You can see the colour when shining a phone torch on the leaf. The golden irridescence disappears if the leaves are rubbed, as this removes the waxy layer. In many plants it is thought that waxy structures like these help the plant protect its cells from excess radiation by scattering UV light (high energy and a short wavelength). However, the golden sheen created by the waxy structures in the purple spiderwort is a result of reflectance of longer wavelengths of light near the red end, unlikely to provide a photoprotective effect. The biological function is unknown but is speculated to be either a herbivore repellent or aiding the creation of a hydrophobic surface.
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