About Lesson
Hydrophytes
Hydrophytes are plants that grow in freshwater.
This habitat is characterized by a lot of water, low oxygen concentration, low light intensity and low mineral salt concentration.
Hydrophytes are of 3 types:
- Submerged plants
- Emergent plants
- Floating plants
Adaptations of Hydrophytes
- Emergent hydrophytes (such as water lily and water hyacinth) have broad leaves with many stomata on the upper surface to increase transpiration.
- Submergent hydrophytes (such as Ceratophyllum plants) have highly dissected leaves to increase surface area for photosynthesis and gaseous exchange.
- Their leaves have numerous and sensitive chloroplasts that photosynthesize under low light intensity.
- Have aerenchyma (large air-filled tissues) for buoyancy and gaseous exchange.
- Aerenchyma tissue is also tolerant to ethanol produced during anaerobic respiration.
- Their flowers are raised above the water to allow pollination.
- Floating hydrophytes have long fibrous roots to absorb mineral salts.
- Some have poorly developed roots to reduce absorption of water e.g. Salvinia
- Others have poorly developed vascular bundles because they absorb water by diffusion e.g. Salvinia
- Some have hairy and waxy leaves, hence waterproof to keep water away from the leaf surface.
- Submerged hydrophytes (e.g. Elodea) have no stomata on their leaves. Oxygen produced by photosynthesis is stored in their aerenchyma tissues and used for respiration.
Join the conversation
