Question

Name the plant process carried out by Hydathodes.

Answer 1

Hint: Hydathode is a type of pore present on the leaf margins which exudes drops of water on the surface of the leaves of plants that are present in a humid atmosphere.

Complete step by step answer:.
A few characteristics of Hydathodes:
- Hydathodes are usually found in angiosperms.
- It is a type of secretory tissue present on the leaf margins.
- They are made up of a thin- walled layer of parenchymatous cells in the leaf, with intercellular spaces.
- They are also called “water stomata” as they are similar in shape to the stomata but facilitate guttation.
- These water stomata always stay open due to lack of opening and closing mechanisms.
- Hydathodes, apart from facilitating guttation, have an indirect role in the ascent of sap.
- Under conditions in which transpiration is inhibited the hydathodes are used by plants to secrete water, especially when the atmosphere is humid and this process of loss of water is called guttation.
Guttation-
- Guttation is the exudation of water droplets from leaf margins of plants like grasses.
- Guttation generally happens at night and is not to be confused with dew.
- Due to closed stomata at night, transpiration cannot occur. So, at night because of the humidity or soil moisture, extra water is absorbed creating root pressure.
- This root pressure forces a drop of water on the leaf margin through hydathodes.
- Hence, the plant process carried out by hydathodes is known as guttation.

Note:
Although both guttation and transpiration refer to the removal of excess water from the plants, they are not the same. Transpiration is the removal of excess water through stomata in the form of water vapors. Guttation is the exudation of water in the form of droplets on the leaf tips when the atmospheric humidity is high and transpiration is low.