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Which one of the following is a xerophytic plant in which the stem is modified into the flat green and succulent structure?
A
$Opuntia$
B
$Casuarina$
C
$Hydrilla$
D
$Acacia$
Detailed Solution
Some plants of arid regions modify their stems into flattened or fleshy cylindrical green structures that contain chlorophyll and carry out photosynthesis; the leaves are reduced to spines to cut down transpiration.
In $Opuntia$ the stem is flattened, green and succulent (a phylloclade); in $Euphorbia$ it is fleshy and cylindrical.
$Casuarina$ has thin, jointed, needle-like green branches, not flat succulent ones.
$Hydrilla$ is a submerged hydrophyte, and $Acacia$ is a tree with normal woody stems.
Hence the plant is $Opuntia$.
In $Opuntia$ the stem is flattened, green and succulent (a phylloclade); in $Euphorbia$ it is fleshy and cylindrical.
$Casuarina$ has thin, jointed, needle-like green branches, not flat succulent ones.
$Hydrilla$ is a submerged hydrophyte, and $Acacia$ is a tree with normal woody stems.
Hence the plant is $Opuntia$.