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Room for moving and storing water, dissolved nutrients, and byproducts of photosynthesis are the reasons for a cactus having a big stem.
Specifically, water and nutrients need to be on hand for the photosynthetic interaction with sunlight to make energizing food. In many other plants, photosynthesis takes place in the leaves while storage takes place there and elsewhere. But the cactus needs plenty of space for both the photosynthesis and the storage that take place in the plant's stem.
Additionally, stem size is increased by the thick outer wall. The wall and such protections as waxy coatingsguard the stem against environmental stresses such as strong sunlight and little moisture. They also defend the stem against environmental stressors such as predatory pests and pathogens.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoAs we all know the cactus is a xerophyte plant so the leaves are very small or in the form of spines to reduce the water loss in order to survive in the desert environment so the leaves dont photosynthesise alot as a result the stem is long and
green to be able to undergo photosynthesis instead of the reduced number of leaves with small surface area to produce simple sugars for growth.
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How does cactus adapd to desert life?
Cacti are able to store water in their fleshy stems.
Are cactus plants trees?
They are succulent plants, having thick fleshy leaves or stems to store water
Why are cacti fleshy?
To protect the moisture inside the cactus. They have to protect it to survive because they usually live in dry, hot, areas across the world.
Why is the stem of cactus fleshy?
Cacti have thick, fleshy stems because water is stored in them. The stems are green so that cacti can live by photosynthesis, the process by which organisms containing chlorophyll transform light energy into chemical energy. ... Thick, waxy coating on succulent stems of cacti keeps water from evaporating from inside.
What are three adaptations of a cactus?
The leaves of a cactus have been reduced to spines to deter herbivory. The stems are fleshy and photosynthetic. The stomata are sunken into the surface of the leaf to increase the boundary layer.
Why the stem of cactus is deep and fleshy?
Cacti have thick, fleshy stems because water is stored in them. The stems are green so that cacti can live by photosynthesis, the process by which organisms containing chlorophyll transform light energy into chemical energy. ... Thick, waxy coating on succulent stems of cacti keeps water from evaporating from inside.
Is cactus an herb or tree?
No, cactus is not a vine even though it may be herbaceous or woody. Bushes, shrubs, trees and vines maintain stems, trunks and twigs of woody tissue while herbs manifest fleshy tissue. A cactus plant offers fleshy, succulent, thickened stems and sometimes shrub-like heights even though only the cactus genus Pereskia shows mature bark-covered stems and persistent leaves.
What is in the cactus that enables it to live?
A cactus can store water in its fleshy stem and this enables it to survive periods of drought.
What plants have underground stems?
Cactus
What is a synonym for succulent?
delicious, pulpy, tasty, fleshy, juicy, cactus
Do water lilies have strong stems?
The water lilies have thick, fleshy creeping underwater stems that are buried in the mud.
Why desert plants have thick fleshy stems?
Succulent plants have thick, fleshy stems and/or leaves. In the Americas that includes the cacti.
