EXPERIMENT 8

Objective
To prepare T.S. of a hydrophyte stem
Materials required
Stem of Hydrilla/Elodea or Potamogeton, pith, slide,
microscope coverslip, razor, brush, watch glass, water, glycerine and
Procedure
¢ Take a piece of pith, give a vertical slit in the
middle to place the piece of hydrophyte stem for section
cutting.
¢ Hold it vertically in your left hand and cut its thin
sections with a sharp razor.
Put all the sections in watch glass filled with water.
" Select a uniformly thin section which has complete outline.
In the middle of a clean slide, place a drop of glycerine and
cover it with a coverslip.
transfer the selected section in it and then
Clean the undersurface of the slide and study the section under the
microscope.
 Observations
characters:
The outline of the section is almost circular. It shows following
of cells.
Le Epidermis: It is the outermost single laryer
wCuticle is absent.
w Cortex: It occupies most part of the sectionf
It is made of many, large air chambers) diaphragms.
Air chambers are separated from one another by partitions called
endodermis (inner
A few layer just below the epidermis (outer cortex) and a few layers close to the
cortex) are compact and parenchymatous.
K Endodermis and pericycle:
Distinct endodermis and pericycle are present
These enclose the underlying vascular tissue.
wrVascular tissues: It is extremely reduced.)
situated in the centre.
Xylem is represented by a single large element
Phyloem is well developed.

Epidermis Epidermis (Chlorenchymatous)

(Chlorenchymatous)
Aerenchyma
Cortex
(Aerenchymatous) Endodermis
Phloem Undifferentiated
Stele (Thin-walled,
no differenciation of vascular tissue in
xylem and phloem) the stelar region
Xylem
Air cavity

Diaphragm
B
Fig. 8.1 T.S. stem of hydrophytes: A-Elodea; B-Hydrilla

Conciusion
life:
Stem of hydrophytic plant shows following adaptations for aquatic
aerenchymatous tissue with wide air spaces.
Stem shows great buoyancy to float on water surface due to
through plant surface.
A Lacks well defined vascular tissue because air, water and minerals are taken
rLacks cuticle because cuticle prevents evaporation of water and aquatic plants are not exposed to water
loss.
without mechanical tissue.
4 Aquatic plants do not need mechanical support. Hence, they are
Reasons for identification
1. Cuticle is absent
2. Presence of aerenchyma.
3. Presence of air cavity in vascular region.
4. Xylem extremely reduced.