Definition
noun, plural: hydrophytes
(botany) Any plant adapted to grow wholly or partly submerged in water or wet habitats; an aquatic plant; a wetland plant
Supplement
Examples of hydrophytes are lotus and water hyacinths. Some of the major features of hydrophytes are as follows:
- reduced/thin cuticle
- leaf stomates are fewer in number than those of terrestrial plants
- floating leaves have stomates confined on the upper epidermal layer whereas submerged leaves mostly lack stomata
- reduced root system
- with air sacs, and less vascular tissue, essential for flotation
Word origin: Greek hýdōr (water) + Greek phuton (plant)
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