Question

Calcifuges are the plants growing in
A. Low calcium
B. High calcium
C. Moderate calcium
D. None of these

Answer 1

Hint: The word calcifuges is derived from the Latin that is to flee from chalk. And also they are described as eracous.

Complete Answer:
- A calcifuge is a plant that does not accept alkaline or basic soil. The word is derived from the Latin to flee from chalk. These plants are also described as ericaceous as the ideal calcifuges is the genus Erica (heaths). It is not the incidence of carbonate or hydroxide ions for each that these plants cannot accept, but the reality that under alkaline conditions, iron becomes not as much of soluble.
- As a result, calcifuges grown on alkaline soils frequently develop the symptoms of iron deficiency, that is interveinal chlorosis of new growth. There are many horticultural plants which are calcifuges, most of which necessitate an ericaceous compost with a low pH, composed principally of Sphagnum moss peat. A plant that grows in lime-rich soils is known as a calcicole.
- Calcifuges are the plants which are grown where the amount of calcium is very low and also they require it for their optimum calcium growth. In the presence of high concentration of calcium the growth of the calcifuges get disturbed.
- Calcicoles are the plants which are grown in calcium rich soils.
So we can conclude that calcifuges are the plants which are grown where there is a very low amount of calcium in the soil.

Hence the correct answer is option A.

Note: The examples of calcifuges plants include the following Ericaceae, Sarraceniaceae, Theaceae, Asteraceae, Nepentheceae, etc.