Question

Potato is an example of what type of stem?

Answer 1

Hint: Stems of some plants are modified to do several functions. They include vegetative propagation and perennation. Some kinds of stem modifications help for food storage. Both undergrounds, aerial, and subaerial stem types are modified in this kind.

Complete answer: Stem modifications are of several types. The underground stem is modified mainly for storing food. They are of four types- rhizome, corm, stem tuber, and bulb. Ginger is an example of rhizomes. Amorphophallus and Colocasia are examples of Corm. Potato is the most common stem tuber and onion is an example of the bulb. Onion has the most reduced form of the stem as it is a bulb. In potatoes, the underground stem is modified for the storage of starch. Potato has several notches on its surface called eyes. Space between two adjacent notches is called internodes. A new potato plant sprouts from these notches. Subaerial stems are modified mainly for vegetative propagation and spread. They are mainly of four types. They are runner, offset, stolon, and Sucker.
Grass and Oxalis are examples of runner. Pistia and Eichornia are water plants and are examples for Offset. Banana and pineapple are examples of sucker and stolon include mint and jasmine. Aerial stem modifications include tendril, thorn, phylloclade, bulbil, etc. Gourds and grapevine are examples of stem tendrils. Opuntia and Euphorbia are examples of Phylloclade. Thorn containing plants are Citrus and Bougainvillea.

Note: Other than stem modifications, roots, and leaves of plants can be modified into several forms. Taproots and adventitious roots of plants are often modified to perform functions other than absorption. Carrot, radish, sweet potato, etc are examples.