Functional trait divergence associated with heteromorphic leaves in a climbing fig.

Overall, we observed a pattern of divergence in morphological features of leaves on two functional branches. Anatomical and physiological features indicate that LFs have an advantage in varied light conditions, providing amounts of photosynthetic products to support the sexual reproduction, while LSs adapt to low light environments. Our findings provide evidence that heteroblasty facilitates to utilize varying light environments, likely associated with its growth form as a climbing plant. This strategy allows the plant to allocate resources more effectively and optimize its overall fitness.