Question
(a) What is Sundari plant? (b) Mention why the adaptations of sundari plant are a mixture of xerophytes and terrestrial plants. (c) Discuss the adaptive characters of sundari plant.
Answer
(a) Sundari plant (Heritiera fomes) is a species of mangrove tree that grows in the intertidal zones of the tropical and subtropical regions.
(b) Sundari plant grows in the intertidal zones where the soil is a mixture of freshwater and saline water. Hence, it requires adaptations to overcome both waterlogging and salt toxicity, leading to a mixture of xerophytic and terrestrial plant adaptations.
(c) The adaptive characters of Sundari plant are:
- Prop roots: Sundari plant develops prop roots to provide anchorage in the saline soil and to trap sediments to stabilize the soil.
- Pneumatophores: Sundari plants produce pneumatophores that grow vertically from the roots to the soil surface. These structures aid in the exchange of gases between the plant and the atmosphere.
- Thick cuticle and sunken stomata: Sundari plant has a thick cuticle layer and sunken stomata to reduce transpiration and water loss.
