PRACTICAL 

AIM:

To preserve the Hydrophyte specimen.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

Formalin,plastic box, hydrophyte specimens.

  

PROCEDURE:

1. Take any part of hydrophyte specimens.
2. Put it in a plastic box and pour formalin.
3. Preserve it.

OBSERVATION:

The specimen remain undamaged and according to the need, it can be reused.

MORPHOLOGICAL  ADAPTATIONS

Roots are often poorly developed or completely absent. Eg: Wolfia, Salvinia.

Root hairs have completely disappeared in somes species of ceralophyllum.

Many hydrophytes have well developed root systems. Eg: Eichornia and Pistia have well developed adventitious roots. In these free-floating rosette plants, the roots are at least partly responsible for preserving the stability of their rosette plants.

The stem may be well-developed, stem is spongy due to well - developed aerenchyma. The spongy and elongated petioles of water hyacinth exhibit the development of so-called aerenchyma.

Many hydrophytes show heterophylly, ie , production of different forms of leaves in the same plant.

 The floating leaves have waxy surface so that water may not wet the surface and block stomata. The presence of mucilage on the aerial organs seems also an adaptation for protecting them from getting wet.

PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS

Petioles of floating-leaved hydrophytes have a great capacity for renewed growth, which is perhaps regulated by auxins.

In lotus, the long petioles seem to adapt themselves the depth of water, thus keeping the leaf lamina on the surface of water.

Many hydrophytes maintain active photosynthesis. Some carbon dioxide evolved during respiration is stored in the air spaces and utilized during photosynthesis.

CONCLUSION:

Hydrophyte plants have adapted to living in aquatic environments (salt water or fresh water).These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface. 

SUBMITTED  BY 

RENJITHA  R  V