Photosynthetic inner antenna CP47 plays important roles in ephemeral plants in adapting to high light stress.

•The ephemeral plant Berteroa incana possesses a unique low temperature fluorescence emission spectrum.•The fluorescence emission of CP47 of Berteroa incana presents significant changes responding to high light conditions.•The inner antenna CP47 plays important roles in regulating excitation energy in PSII of Berteroa incana.