6. Modification of stems

There are three major categories of modifications happen in the stem, which include:

  

To overcome evaporation from the leaves, plants in desert or in water scarce areas tend to develop green stems which does the photosysnthesis for the plant, while the leaves become thorns. Such stem modifications are called phylloclade or cladopyll.

 

 

Subaerial here means 'on the ground'.

As in the case of Centella (or) vallarai, the stems grow laterally (side wise) and wherever it touches the ground they also develop roots to produce new plants. Such stems are called runners.

 

There is another type of stem modified plants called stolon, in which the tender stem of the plant initially grow upwards to some extent and then start bending to touch the ground. Wherever, it touches the ground it develop roots. For example wild strawberry belongs to this category.

 

Suckers are special type of stems which develop laterally from the main shoot on any direction. As it grows, it develops roots and wherever it develops root that produce new shoots. For example chrysanthemum reproduce by developing suckers.

 

In the case of plants like Eichornia, offshoots develop from the auxiliary buds on the trunk, upon growth these offsets separate from the mother plant and start growing individually developing roots.

 

  

Modification of stems that happen below the ground is called underground modifications. There are four types:

The table below shows the different types these underground stems with their characteristics: