O stalk it is a very important structure for the plant, as, in addition to being the structure where leaves and roots are inserted, it promotes the exchange of organic substances between these organs.
Some plant species, throughout their evolution, had to adapt to the places where they lived in order to survive and some of these adaptations occurred in their stems.
You thorns they are one of the adaptations of some plants. They are short structures, very resistant and with a very sharp tip, which serve to protect the plant, keeping away animals that could damage it. It is important to remember that the thorns found in roses, paineiras, among others, are called aculeus and they are not stalks, but epidermal formations of the plant that do not have any kind of sap-conducting vessel. The pintles do not have a defined position on the stem, while the spines form in the leaf axilla. We can find the thorns in plants like lemon trees and orange trees.
Another adaptation that we can see in some plants is called tendrils, that can be found in climbing plants. At tendrils they initially grow in a straight line and, when they find a support, they curl up, fixing themselves. These adaptations can be found in plants such as chayote, passion fruit, vines, etc..
In addition to thorns and tendrils, some vegetables have an adaptation called cladodes. You cladodes are found in plants that lost their leaves during their evolution, with the objective of preventing the loss of water to the environment, especially in regions that have a very dry climate. for owning cladodes instead of leaves, the vegetable manages to save the water that would be lost through evaporation. You cladodes are stems that look like leaves and are usually green and flat. Usually its leaves are transformed into thorns, as in the cacti.
by Paula Louredo
Graduated in Biology
