Question

Why do cactus have leaf like modified stems

Answer 1

Hey there,

The stem of the cactus have lost true leaves and consist of modified stems which consist of spins instead of leaves.

The reason because of the extreme dry condition they have to survive in such as deserts. Spines acts as defensive tools against any dangerous animal that would try to eat it. Another function these spins do is that they reduce the surface area is the leaf due to which the loss of water is very minimum. They also help in keeping the air flow minimum close to the plant for minimum water evaporation.

I hope the answer is helpful.

Thanks

Answer 2

due to extreme dry conditions in desert areas