Question

In which of the following plants do you expect transpiration to occur only from the upper surface of the leaf?

• A. Land plants
• B. Xerophytic plants
• C. Aquatic plants with floating leaves
• D. Aquatic submerged plants

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Aquatic plants with floating leaves

Leaves are the most important structures for the process of transpiration. The number of stomata and distribution of stomata provides the potential surface areas for transpiration. Xerophytes contain reduced or modified leaves, where transpiration is almost nil. On the contrary, a mesophyte has a greater number of stomata, which results in the greater loss of water per unit area per a unit of time. While plants like Potamogeton, though living and leading a submerged habitat in water, they don’t lose any water, for they have nonfunctional stomata. But under normal conditions, if the surface area is provided for transpiration, plants lose a greater amount of water and vice versa. The structural adaptation of the transpiration is mostly dependent on the genetic potentiality as well as the plasticity with which they adapt to the environment. In aquatic plants with floating leaves, transpiration to occur only from the upper surface of the leaf. Because the lower side is submerged in water.

Therefore, the correct answer is option C.