A desert plant has a thick waxy cuticle and very few small stomata. How do these features help it survive?
Question 1 Report
A desert plant has a thick waxy cuticle and very few small stomata. How do these features help it survive?
Answer Details
A leaf loses water vapour by transpiration, mostly through the stomata, and evaporation is fastest where the surface is exposed and the pores are numerous and open. A thick waxy cuticle seals the outer surface so little water can evaporate through it, and having very few, small stomata cuts down the main route by which water vapour escapes. Together these features conserve the plant's limited water in a dry habitat, which is why they help it survive by reducing water loss by transpiration. They do not speed up light absorption or photosynthesis; if anything, fewer stomata slightly limit carbon dioxide uptake, and the plant tolerates this trade-off because saving water matters more in the desert.
Download The App On Google Playstore
Everything you need to excel in your exams
