HOW ARE LEAVES OF MESOPHYTES SUITED TO THEIR FUNCTION? (20MKS)
How are leaves of mesophytes suited to their function.(20mks)
- Broad / wide / flat lamina; to provide large S.A; for absorption of CO2/sunlight;
- Thin; to ensure short distance for CO2 to reach photosynthetic cells/palisade/mesophyll;
- Guard cells/ presence of stomata; for efficient diffusion of CO2 into leaf/ oxygen out of leaf/
gaseous exchange/ water vapour/ transpiration
- Transparent cuticle/epidermal cells; for penetration of light; into palisade cells/ photosynthetic
cells.
- Palisade cells contain many chloroplasts; to trap light (for photosynthesis);
- Chloroplasts have chlorophyll; for trapping light energy;
- Leaves have veisn; Xylem to conduct water to photosynthetic cells; and phloem to translocate
the photosynthates to other parts of the plant;
- Air spaces in spongy mesophyll; for gases to circulate/diffuse easily/ for CO2 to diffuse into
palisade cells;
- Mosaic arrangement of leaves; enables all leaves to trap sunlight;
- Palisade cells are next to upper epidermis for maximum light absorption (by chloroplasts)
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