Question

Plants belonging to the family Cactaceae store water in stems. It means, they are
(a) Ephemerals
(b) Drought resistant
(c) Annuals
(d) Non-succulents

Answer 1

Hint: Cactaceae includes cactus which comprises 127 genera and 1750 known species. These plants contain spices and occur in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. deliver an extremely dry environment and are found in the deserted areas or the driest places on earth.

Complete answer:
Plants belonging to the family Cactaceae store water in the stem which means they are drought resistant. They are adapted in dry areas and consist of a thick and hard-walled stem which helps in the storage of water. The stem of these plants are flashy and perform photosynthesis and hence are photosynthetic. The thick and waxy coating helps the plant to evaporate excess water from 8 and most of them consist of spines instead of leaves.

These fines or scales are modified leaves which do not lose water through evaporation and protect the plant from herbivores.plants that have low water requirements are adapted to an arid climate and are described as drought resistant. Staple food such as cassava, sweet potato, and sorghum are more drought-tolerant naturally.

Additional information:
Ephemerals: These plants have short life cycles and have distinct growth strategies. Thedieie back underground after reproduction and short growth. The habitat offspring ephemerals are perennial Woodland that develops aerial parts of the plant and quickly bloom to produce seed. The plants that are adapted to take the advantages of short favorable seasons in the desert are desert ephemerals and they survive in the driest season through seed dormancy.
Annuals: These plants complete their life cycle within a year and produce seed without one growing season and then die. They vary according to the geographical conditions and do not correspond to the traditional seasonal divisions of the year. The plants which germinate during spring or early summer are the summer annuals that mature by the autumn of the same year whereas the plants that germinate during the autumn season and mature during spring or Summer of the year.
Non-succulents: They consist of herbaceous forms that are perennial and survive during the period of drought by withstanding critical conditions. They consist of extensive root systems that penetrate deeply into the soil and shed their leaves frequently when water is scarce. During days the leaves are wilted. After the drought has passed they started producing new leaves.
So, the correct answer is '(b) Drought-resistant'.

Note: The Cactus is a Greek word which originated from the word Cup toss which means 'prickly plant of Sicily'. A cactus can store a huge amount of water in a short time and can only open their stomata at night