Question

A succulent Xerophyte is
A) Capparis
B) Calotropis
C) Agave
D) none of the above

Answer 1

Hint:Xerophytes are plants that grow in conditions of very little water. These could be extremely hot or extremely cold locations. Common xerophytes include many cacti and succulents as well as gymnosperms.

Complete answer:
Capparis plants belong to the genus Brassicaceae. Most of these plants are shrubs or creepers, and they are all flowering plants. Also known as the caper plant, it is xerophytic, but it is not a succulent. Option A is not correct.

Calotropis are flowering plants. They are also known as milkweed because on breaking they release a very milky latex. Along with many species dismissed as weeds, these include the rubber bush and the rubber tree. However, these are tropical plants which require a fair amount of water. Option B is not correct.

Succulent xerophytes are those xerophytic plants that store water and mucilage in thick, fleshy organs. The Agave is a good example of such a plant. It is a monocotyledon that grows in very hot and dry environments and is also known commercially for a sweet syrup that is extracted from the plant. The leaves are large and fleshy.As option C is the correct answer, option D does not apply.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘C’

Note:Cacti and succulents both grow in hot, arid conditions. However these are not the same plant. Succulents have thick fleshy leaves while cacti have a green stem in which water is stored and have sharp thorns. They do belong to the same family, but not all succulents are cacti.