Hydrophytes – adapted to living in water/wet ground:

Question 1

Water lilies:

Answer 1

Water lilies: have easy access to water but faced with issues such as getting oxygen to their submerged tissues and keeping afloat – they need to keep leaves in sunlight for photosynthesis.

Question 2

Adaptations:

Answer 2

• Thin/no waxy cuticle – do not need to conserve water.
• Large air spaces in wide/flat leaves – keeps leaves afloat so they can absorb sunlight for
  photosynthesis, also a store of O2.
• Stomata on upper epidermis – so they are exposed to air to allow gaseous exchange.
• Stomata open most of time – no need to conserve water.
• Air sacs in stems – buoyancy and allows O2 to diffuse quickly to the roots for aerobic respiration.
• Flexible leaves/stems – supported by water so don’t need to be supportive, prevents damage from
  water currents.
• Hydathodes on leaves – release water droplets which then evaporate from leaf surface. This
  maintains transpiration stream in conditions where water vapour potential gradient is very low (very humid air). Important so mineral ions can be transported.