Xerophytes

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What is a Dicotyledonous (dicot) plant?
A plant that makes seeds that contain 2 cotyledons
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What are cotyledons?
Organs that act as food stores and forms the first leaves when a cell germinates
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What is a xerophyte?
A plant that has adapted to living in an environment where water isn't readily available
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Where are xerophytes found?
In hot dry breezy areas like desserts or in very cold and icy areas where water isn't readily available because it is frozen
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How are the cuticles adapted to conserve water?
They are thick and waxy so that it reduces the water lost during transpiration
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How is the stomata adapted?
They are sunken to create a microclimate of humid air, this reduces the water vapor potential gradient, thus reducing the water loss. In addition, in some plants, there are reduced numbers of stomata. However it reduces their gas exchange abilities
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Name the 3 ways the leaves have adapted in certain plants
Reduced area of leaves- it has a smalled SA:V ratio. Hairy Leaves- Microclimate of humid air, reduces water vapor potential gradient. Curled leaves- Stomata are all on the inside in a microenvironment
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What are succulents?
Plants that store water in special parenchyma tissue in stems and roots
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How does leaf loss help xerophytes?
By loosing there leaves, water cant evaporate out by transpiration. Some trees in the desert turn their stems and branches green so that they can still photosynthesise
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How do roots in xerophytes adapt to the limited water availability?
They spread far down into the ground to get as much water as possible, also they can spread their roots far horizontally and close to the surface so that it can asorb as much water as possible after a rainfall.
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How do some xerophytes avoid the problems completely?
Some just die or become inactive leaving seeds behind to germinate rapidly as soon as rain falls. Others can just survive as bulbs and then when rain falls, they become turgid again and green.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What are cotyledons?

Back

Organs that act as food stores and forms the first leaves when a cell germinates

Card 3

Front

What is a xerophyte?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Where are xerophytes found?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

How are the cuticles adapted to conserve water?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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