Question

The leaves of Utricularia plant are modified into
A. Hooks
B. Tendrils
C. Bladders
D. Pitchers

Answer 1

Hint: Some plants undergo physical modification in order to get suited for a particular environment and habitat. These plants can have modified stem or modified root or modified leaves.

Step by step answer:One of the types of plant modification is root modification where generally roots are specially modified for storage of water and starch. Examples of root modified plants are carrot, radish, etc.
-Another type is stem modification, in which the stem is modified in either aboveground, underground, or aerial which enables the plant to survive in a particular environment. Examples of stem modified plants are ginger, potato, onion, etc.
-Tendrils are one of the types of aerial modification of stem. Tendrils are twining strands and slender which helps the plant to seek support on the surfaces. Tendrils are developed from either the axillary bud or terminal bud of the stem. Examples of stem tendrils are grapes and passion fruits.
-In leaves modification, generally, leaves are modified for storage (xerophytes) or tendrils (pea) or spines (palm date) or scale leaves.
-In pitchers, the leaves are generally modified to form pitfall traps, this type of modification is observed in a pitcher plant. Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants. These plants secrete some nectar which attracts the prey and then they trap the prey.
-Utricularia plants are generally known as bladderworts. These plants are also a carnivorous plant. Utricularia plants capture small organisms by means of bladder-like traps. Also, Utricularia plants are highly specialized plants and their vegetative organs are not clearly separated into roots, leaves and stems.
Hence, the correct answer is option C i.e., The leaves of Utricularia plant are modified into bladders.

Note: Both the stem and leaves modification include tendril formation. In stem tendrils, they wind themselves around objects in order to promote the upward growing plant. But in leaf tendrils, they are only required for the support of the plant (as stems are weak).