Droughts are increasing in frequency and intensity across all biomes, affecting plant survival and productivity. During drought, the stomatal response, although effective against water loss, is detrimental to CO2 uptake, highlighting the trade-off between transpiration and assimilation. Stomatal patchiness, defined by a non-uniform distribution of stomatal openings across the leaf surface, represents an emerging collective behaviour that optimises gas exchange in response to environmental stimuli. Advanced imaging techniques, such as thermal and chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, have become essential methods to visualise and quantify this phenomenon. This research investigates dynamics of stomatal patchiness along drought, examining both long-term and short-term stomatal responses using dual imaging. Our results show consistent patterns in thermal and quantum efficiency in relation to stomatal conductance, with both measures showing variability at the onset of stress, indicating some plasticity in the face of changes in water potential optimising gas exchange. Stomatal patchiness emerges as a complex, multiscale phenomenon characterised by the fragmentation of macroscale leaf patches into distinct unit patches. This hierarchical organisation is manifested by intra-patch dynamics as a short-term response to environmental conditions, but decreases in the long term as water stress increases. The relationship between patch-level behaviour and overall leaf physiology highlights the biological significance of this spatial heterogeneity in plant water regulation strategies, leading to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying drought resistance. Understanding stomatal patchiness and its role in drought response is crucial for developing strategies to enhance plant resilience to water stress in the context of climate change.< Réduire