Question

Underground stem modifications are a useful means of

• A. For vegetative propagation
• B. For food storage
• C. For perennation
• D. For mechanical support

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (B), (C)

For perennation

Underground stems, by being situated below the surface of the soil, protect themselves against unfavourable conditions of weather and the attack of animals and serve as stores for reserve food, and in vegetative propagation. Their stem nature can be distinguished by the presence of nodes and internodes, scale leaves at the nodes, axillary buds in axils of scale leaves and a terminal bud. Further, the anatomy of the underground stem resembles that of an aerial stem. The underground stems are of four types namely rhizome, tuber, bulb and corm.