Question

Why do desert plants trend toward reduced and pointy leaves, and having their stem function as their primary photosynthetic organ rather than their leaves? Provide two structural or functional reasons for this - one as it relates to desert plants' leaf structure, and one as it relates to their stem structure.

Answer 1

In desert plants the leaves are reduced to spines which have less surface area than leaf. As plant lose water through leaves, deser plant have modified structure like this so that there is minimum loss of water by the plant and therefore spines are advantageous in dry climates.

Im soms plants like catci, they have a water saving approach for the process of photosynthetis. Green stem are equipped with stomata that open at night and close during the day. Since water is scare, the stem act as the primary source of photosynthetis. Also, the leaves are reduced to spines and thrones so there is less surface area and therefore less chlorophyll for photosynthetis.

Thank you :)