Use the meanings of the word parts to determine which term describes a desert plant, such as a cactus: mesophyte, hydrophyte, or xerophyte.
Biology · High School · Sun Jan 24 2021
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The term that describes a desert plant like a cactus is "xerophyte."
Breaking down the word parts:
- "meso-" refers to "middle" or "moderate."
- "hydro-" pertains to "water."
- "xero-" or "xer-" refers to "dry" or "arid."
Given that a desert plant, like a cactus, resides in a dry and arid environment with limited water availability, the term that describes such a plant is xerophyte. Xerophytes are plants adapted to survive and thrive in dry or arid conditions by possessing specialized features that enable them to conserve water, such as reduced leaves, water-storing tissues, thick waxy coatings, and deep root systems.