Plastoglobules of leaf chloroplasts of two cultivars of Capsicum annuum.

The chloroplasts of the leaves of Capsicum annuum cv. Purple Leaf Cherry are characterized by the presence of large electron translucent plastoglobules which comprise a considerable proportion of the plastid volume. The leaf chloroplasts of Purple Leaf Yellow cultivar contain, in addition, large starch granules which are frequently in intimate association with these plastoglobules. There appears to be a controlled expulsion of plastoglobules into the vacuole by the non-degenerating chloroplasts of both cultivars, although the function of this secretion is not known. The chloroplasts of older leaves of Purple Leaf Yellow also contain plastoglobules with a nonhomogenous fine structure. Some have granular segments, membrane-like bands, or myelin-like bands, the latter suggesting the presence of glyco- and/or phospholipids in such plastoglobules.