Question

Pneumatophores are found in
a. Vegetation which is found in marshy and saline lake
b. Vegetation which is found in acidic soil
c. Xerophytes
d. Epiphytes

Answer 1

Hint: These are specialized root structures that allow mangroves to survive in sediments that are poor in oxygen. The lenticels present on the surface of these roots help to absorb air into spongy tissue, which then disperses oxygen as required throughout the plant.

Complete answer:
> Option A is correct. In the vegetation of the marshy and saline lakes, pneumatophores are found. These specialized aerial roots help the plants breathe air in a waterlogged soil area. These roots are pencil-sized and peg-like in some species whereas they look like a knee in some other species. These roots have numerous pores through which oxygen enters the tissues underneath.

> Option B is incorrect. Calcifuge plants are those which prefer an acid soil that includes Erica, Rhododendron, and almost all other types of Ericaceae, many birches (Betula), foxglove (Digitalis), gorse (Ulex spp.), and Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris). The groundcovers pachysandra and wintergreen, and all types of ferns grow well in acidic soil.

> Option C is incorrect. A xerophyte is a dry plant species that has evolved to live in an area with little liquid water, such as a desert or ice, or Alpine or Arctic snow-covered zone. The cacti, pineapple, and some gymnosperm plants are popular examples of xerophytes.

> Option D is incorrect. A plant's species that grows on its surface and absorbs from the air, rain, water (in marine environments), or debris that accumulates, humidity, and nutrients around it. Most epiphytic plants are angiosperms (flowering plants); they include many orchid species, tillandsias, and other members of the pineapple (Bromeliaceae) families.

So, the correct answer is Option A.

Note: Pneumatophores, such as Ceriops sp, Heritiera domes, can only be found in mangrove trees. It is a type of root that grows negatively geotropic to take in airborne oxygen. They are finger-like roots that stick up like snorkels from the dense, wet ground.