Question

Epiphyllous buds take part in
(a) Growth in length
(b) Photosynthesis
(c) Reproduction
(d) Reduction in transpiration

Answer 1

Hint: It is the small buds that emerge on the leaf margins. It refers to an outgrowth from the body which may grow to be an individual.

Complete answer: Epiphyllous are the small buds that arise on the leaf margins. The buds give rise to new plants and later slowly they lose their connection with the parent plant. The best example is the Bryophyllum. If the buds of bryophyllum are kept in the ground, the buds give rise to new plants and later steadily they lose their connection with the parent plant.
A bud specialized to develop flowers or short shoots or may have the potential for general shoot development.
Buds may be classified and described according to different criteria: location, morphology, function, and others.

For location:
- Terminal, when occurring at the tip of a stem.
- Axillary, when located in the axil of a leaf.
- Adventitious, when arising elsewhere, such as on trunk or on roots.
For morphology:
- Scaly or covered (perulate), which cover and protect the embryonic parts. - Naked, when not covered by scales. - Hairy, when also protected by hairs.
For function:
- Vegetative, if only carry vegetative pieces.
- Reproductive, if containing embryonic flowers.
- Mixed, if carry both embryonic leaves and flowers.

So, the correct answer is ‘Reproduction’.

Note: Buds are often useful in the identification of plants, especially for woody plants in winter when leaves have fallen. The buds of the many woody plants, especially in temperate or cold climates, are protected by a covering of modified leaves called scales that tightly enclose the more delicate parts of the bud.