Question

Name a modified stem.

Answer 1

Modifications of stem:

1. The stem is the axis of the plant, bearing basal end roots, shoots, leaves, and buds. Through a variety of processes, it transports nutrients, minerals, and water to other areas of the plant body.
2. For additional purposes like food storage, support, vegetative reproduction, and defense, several plants have modified stems.
3. Modified stems are classified into three types: underground modifications, subaerial modifications, and aerial modifications.

Underground modifications:

1. For perennation and food storage, plants create underground stem modifications.
2. They have scale leaves, buds, adventitious roots, nodes, internodes, and internal structure that resembles an aerial stem rather than a root.
3. Example: Rhizome, bulb, corn, tuber.

Subaerial modifications:

1. These modified stems have both aerial and underground parts.
2. Their adventitious roots grow into nodes, and they have small aerial branches.
3. Example: Runner, sucker, stolon, offset.

Aerial modifications:

1. Aerial stem modifications serve a variety of unique purposes, including climbing, food storage, plant protection, and vegetative propagation.
2. Example: Tendril, thorn, phylloclade, bulbil, thalamus, etc.