Question

The stem is green and fleshy in cactus. Give reason.

Answer 1

Xerophytes:

1. The cactus plant is a xerophytic plant.
2. The plant's stem is transformed into a flat, green, fleshy structure that aids in water storage and photosynthesis.
3. The leaves have been modified to form spines, which aid in the reduction of transpiration.
4. Cactus stems are fleshy and green because the plant needs to store a lot of water to survive in the desert.
5. The cactus is native to North and South American deserts, where it can be found growing near rivers and other sources of water.
6. The plant's thick, fleshy stem aids in water storage, allowing it to survive for extended periods of time without rain or watering.
7. Cactus roots are shallow, with mean depths ranging from 7 to 11 cm for various Sonoran Desert species and 15 cm for cultivated opuntioids; the cultivated vine cactus Hylocereus undatus has even shallower roots.
8. In fact, cactus roots are necessary for survival.
9. When it rains, the shallow roots of a cactus collect as much water as possible.
10. That water is then stored within the cactus' body and taproot, where it is used during dry spells.