Darlene Krizian G.

Dayuha A8A56
Botany – Module 2A
SELF-ASSESSMENT

1. The root cap protects the root apical meristem as it grows through the soil. Explain how it can
protect against mechanical injury.
The root tip or calyptra contains parenchyma cells which able to discharge a slimy fluid that can
ease the passage of the root tip as it makes way through the soil without being damaged.

2. Why do plants with shallow roots get easily damaged by some herbivores?
Shallow roots are not deeply anchored to the ground, therefore they tend to have less stability and
are less firm. Since they are shallow, the roots will eventually emerge above the ground causing it
to be more exposed to herbivorous animals that would linger near them.

3. Is there a possibility where both primary and secondary growth happen concurrently in the same
plant? Explain.
Yes, it is possible. This usually occurs to plats with woody stems. Its primary and secondary growth
can happen simultaneously, however it occurs in different parts or regions of the plant. Primary
growth takes place in newly generated parts of the plant. Secondary growth, in the other hand,
can only happen in older parts wherein it has completely undergone primary growth.

4. Roots and stems grow indeterminately, yet the growth of leaves and flowers ceases when a plant
reaches a particular size. How might this benefit the plant?
The roots and stems of a plant contains meristems which are responsible for the primary and secondary
growth of these particular plant parts. Since roots and stems are vital for the support and passage of food
for the shoot system, the indeterminate growth of these two parts can be very beneficial to the plants as
a whole, because their ability to regenerate could add more survival rate to the plant.

5. Stomata and lenticels are both involved in gas exchange. Lenticels remain open permanently but
stomata do not. Why do stomata need to be able to close but lenticels do not?
The stomata needs to close from time to time to ensure that the plant would not excessively lose
water during hot weather. The guard cells surrounding the stomata are responsible for
regulating the opening and closing of stomata. Lenticels, on the other hand, do not have guard cells
around it, hence they are always open.

6. Why do the leaves of plants growing in tropical rainforests tend to have larger surface areas than
those of plants growing in deserts or very cold conditions?
The varying sizes of the leaves has something to do with the temperature or climate of their
habitat and their ability to survive the risk of overheating or freezing. Plants with larger leaves
are usually found in tropical areas because they have greater capability of absorbing sunlight
energy, and are capable to store enough water in their cells to balance it out. Plants found in
extremely hot or cold environments have smaller leaves so as to help reduce water loss since they
have lesser surface, they have less absorption to the sun.

7. Do you think the one responsible for the diversity of plants in various terrestrial habitats is the
supply of water? Why?
Yes, it is possible that the supply of water could be one factor of the variation or diversity of plant
species. The supply of water depends on the terrestrial or the location of the plants. If a specific
plant has less access of water, it naturally adapts to its habitat, thus, its parts tend to evolve and
distinctive than the rest of the plant species. Hence, the modifications of the different parts of
plants depending on its functions also develops all for their survival mechanism.

8. Does each type of phyllotaxy ensure maximum exposure of leaves to light? Briefly explain your
answer.
Yes, each type of phyllotaxy ensures the leaves to have maximum exposure to sunlight but I do not
think each of the phyllotaxy have equal advantage regarding to the amount of sunlight that the
leaves can get. Like in the case of the opposite phyllotaxy, the arrangement of the leaves are
aligned which make it seems that the bottom leaves could only get minimal sunlight since they are
being covered by the leaves above them.

9. A flower is said to be a specialized shoot adapted for reproduction. Justify this statement.
A flower is a modified or specialized shoot because it contains the essential organs needed in the
plant’s reproduction. The sepals and petals of a flower are also regarded as modified leaves, for
they have distinct colors than the rest of the leaves to attract pollinators.

10. Do you agree with the saying, “Fruits can be a vegetable, but vegetables can never be a fruit?”
Defend your answer.
The phrase is agreeable because botanically speaking, all foods that have seed/s and came from
plants are called fruits, regardless of how it is being prepared in a meal. Cucumbers, tomatoes
and even red peppers – which we primarily thought are vegetables – could fall in the fruit category.
However, ‘vegetables can never be a fruit’, it’s because take for example, a spinach; we can
obviously say this leafy vegetable is not a fruit but rather a leaf of a particular plant.