A plant 'X' has needle like waxy leaves, plant 'Y'has spiny leaves and a well-developed root system, whereas, plant 'Z' has ribbon-like leaves with numerous air spaces in the body tissue. Identify the habitats of plants 'X', 'Y', and 'Z' based on the hints provided.
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Answer:
Bring a potted cactus and a leafy plant to the classroom. Tie polythene bags to any parts of the two plants. Leave the potted plants in the sun and observe after a few hours. What do you see? Do you notice any difference in the amount of water collected on the two polythene bags?
Desert plants lose very little water through transpiration. The leaves in desert plants are either absent, very small, or they are present in the shape of spines. This helps in reducing loss of water from the leaves through transpiration. The leaf-like structure you see in a cactus is, in fact, its stem . Photosynthesis in these plants is usually carried out by the stems. The stem is also covered with a thick waxy layer, which helps to retain water. Most desert plants have roots that go very deep into the soil for absorbing water.