Plants: 99 % of all living matters

a.
b.
c.
d.

Submerged on lake bottoms

Exposed to wind-swept mountain tops
Hidden within polar rocks
Perched on branches in rainforests

Can be:

e. Microscopic
f. Sequoias (upto 300 meters)

Plant types and their relationship to water depths

Hydrophytes

Hydrophytes/Macrophytes/Aquatic Plants
Plants adapted to living inaquatic environments
(saltwaterorfreshwater)
Monocots or dicots; vascular or non vascular
Morphological classes
Amphiphytes: plants that are adapted to live either
submerged or on land.
Elodeids: stem plants that complete their entire life
cycle submerged, or with only their flowers above the
waterline.
Isoetids: rosette plants that complete their entire life
cycle submerged.
Helophytes: plants rooted in the bottom, but with
leaves above the waterline.
Nymphaeids: plants rooted in the bottom, but with
leaves floating on the water surface.
Pleuston: vascular plants that float freely in the water.

 Adaptations

1. Thin cuticle.
2. Stomata open most of time (as water is abundant).
3. Increased # of stomata.
4. Plants in water have less structure (water pressure
supports them).
5. Large flat leaves on surface plants for flotation.
6. Air sacs (aerenchyma) for flotation/gaseous
exchange.
7. Reduction in roots (H2O can diffuse directly into
leaves).
8. Roots of water plants are feathery to hold up plant.
9. Roots modified to pick up oxygen.

Cactus
Cactus a member of family cactaceae within order
caryophyllales and a plantis asucculentif it stores
water in juicy leaves or stems in order to survive dry spells
or a plant possessing at least one succulent tissue
About 90 % mass is water
Derived from Greek word kaktos, a spiny plant with
uncertain identity
Cactaceae largest family, comprising about 2000 plants
including endangered
Of great ecological, medicinal and economic importance
Most of them exist in the areas facing drought. The main
centres of diversity occur within Americas, Africa and
Srilanka
Almost all cacti are succulents from tree to small plants
They are of different sizes and shapes

Adaptations
Spines in the form of leaves
Spines help trapping air and making plant surface
moist, protection against herbivores, provide
some shade and lower temperature, reduce water
loss, moisture captured inside is condensed into
drops which finally drop into soil.
Water storage for drought season in stem, stem
shapes vary which helps in reducing surface area
to volume ratio, photosynthesize, contains dense
cuticle and waxy layer thus reducing transpiration
They form immediate root after the rain falls
CAM photosynthesis
Stomata open at night