can you explaine something ?

This is a type of plant that is adapted to living in a dry arid habitat; a desert plant.

Adaptations are made:

- to maximize water conservation
- to minimize water loss
- to provide more efficient gas exchange and movement

(i)   drought-escaping – alter life cycle to reduce impact of water stress  (compressed into wet periods)
(ii)  drought-evading – have structural features (i.e. extensive root system) to reduce / compensate          water loss
(iii)  drought-enduring – have anatomical adaptations to allow growth/survival under water stress

The adaptions are:

Morphology: blade reduced
Texture: Leathery
Cuticle: Thick
Epidermis: Thick-walled
Stomata: Sunken (so that wind will not increase transpiration)
Mesophyll: Compact
Water Storage: Present
Vascular Tissue: Abundant
Other Features: Leaves roll/fold

Roots of xerophytic plants (with low water availability) - are widely spreading and shallow for optimal water absorption from dry arid soils – where there is little sub-surface water available some are short tuberized
roots that lack root hairs some are succulent and act in water storage

– in parenchyma cells of ground tissue in root cortex

Enjoy!

Bio_man 8)