In Water

Plant Adaptations in Water

underwater leaves and stems are flexible to move with water currents
some plants have air spaces in their stems to help hold the plant up in the water
submerged plants lack strong water transport system (in stems); instead water, nutrients, and dissolved gases are absorbed through the leaves directly from the water.
roots and root hairs reduced or absent; roots only needed for anchorage, not for absorption of nutrients and water
some plants have leaves that float atop the water, exposing themselves to the sunlight
in floating plants chlorophyll is restricted to upper surface of leaves (part that the sunlight will hit) and the upper surface is waxy to repel water
Some plants produce seeds that can float


In floating plants, chlorophyll is restricted to the upper surface. Note the green color on the top of the leaves and the reddish underside of the overturned leaf.	Aquatic plants must be flexible to withstand the pressures of moving water.