Question

Which of the following is not a creeper?
A. Pumpkin
B. Watermelon
C. Sweet potato
D. Grapevine

Answer 1

Hint: Some plants have thin stems as they can’t stay upright by fixing their roots in the soil. Creepers and climbers are examples of these kinds of plants. Creepers are the plants that creep on the ground. Climbers attach to nearby erect structures for support.

Complete answer: Stem of a creeping plant will be thin and they won’t be able to bear the weight of the plant body. So, their posture is modified in a way that these plants always lay attached to the soil. Roots will be seen at specific intervals at internodes of the stem. With the help of these roots, these plants get attached to the soil. Examples of creepers are pumpkin, watermelon, sweet potato, etc.
-Climbers to have a thin and weak stem. Instead of creeping on the ground, they depend on erect structures nearby them for support for standing upright. Examples for climbers are grapevine, jasmine, green peas, etc. Grapevine is an example of aerial stem modification.
-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 underground, aerial, and subaerial stem types are modified in this kind.
-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.
Hence, the correct option is D.

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