Adaptations
- 1. The arrangement of leaves is accurate to allow maximum of their surface to sunlight.
- 2. The flat surface of leaves also provides maximum surface area for absorption of sunlight.
- 3. The epidermis of leaves is made up of single cell & covered by cuticle. The cuticle avoids water loss & thin epidermis contain tiny pores i.e., stomata for the exchange if gases with surrounding.
- 4. Different types of mesophyll cells are present in the epidermis. Palisade cells: which are compact. Spongy cells: present in lower layer & contain intercellular air spaces.
- 5. Terrestrial plants have adapted for gaseous exchange by having more stomata in lower epidermis of leaves as compared to aquatic plants.
- 6. Aquatic plants have more stomata on upper leaf epidermis as compared to terrestrial plants
- 7. Xylem vessels have affinity for sap to facilitate their transport to leaf by various mechanisms. Phloem cells are adapted to transport food from leaves to all plant body efficiently.
- 8. Stomata are so controlled that they provide entry of air into leaf & it leads to intercellular spaces after diffusing in to water (present around mesophyll cell in a thin layer).
- 9. Chloroplast is present in mesophyll cells, where photosynthesis takes place.
