Modifications of stem:
- 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.
- For additional purposes like food storage, support, vegetative reproduction, and defense, several plants have modified stems.
- Modified stems are classified into three types: underground modifications, subaerial modifications, and aerial modifications.
Underground modifications:
- For perennation and food storage, plants create underground stem modifications.
- They have scale leaves, buds, adventitious roots, nodes, internodes, and internal structure that resembles an aerial stem rather than a root.
- Example: Rhizome, bulb, corn, tuber.
Subaerial modifications:
- These modified stems have both aerial and underground parts.
- Their adventitious roots grow into nodes, and they have small aerial branches.
- Example: Runner, sucker, stolon, offset.
Aerial modifications:
- Aerial stem modifications serve a variety of unique purposes, including climbing, food storage, plant protection, and vegetative propagation.
- Example: Tendril, thorn, phylloclade, bulbil, thalamus, etc.