Question

The plants which grow on and need a moderate amount of water is called
A. Xerophytes
B. Pteridophytes
C. Hydrophytes
D. Mesophytes

Answer 1

Plants require water for the process of photosynthesis. The water provides ions like protons and electrons. Plants have vascular tissue like the xylem to conduct water from the roots to the other parts of the plants.

Complete answer:
a) Xerophytes – Xerophytes are those land plants that require very few amounts of water. These plants are found in dry and arid areas. Xerophytic plants have various modifications to store and conserve water.
b) Pteridophytes – Pteridophytes are the vascular amphibians of the plant kingdom because the vascular tissues first appeared in these plants. However, the vascular bundles are still absent. These plants require wet places and humid areas to grow. They require high amounts of water.
c) Hydrophytes – Hydrophytes are aquatic plants or those plants that live inside the water. They are also referred to as the macrophytes. These plants have special modifications and special tissues to survive inside the water.
d) Mesophytes – Mesophytes are those terrestrial plants that require moderate amounts of water for their growth. These plants can neither survive in very wet conditions or very dry conditions.
Thus, based on the above information we can conclude that the plants which grow on and need a moderate amount of water are called mesophytes.
Hence, the correct answer is option C.

Note: Xerophytic plants have several modifications to conserve the water. The leaves of xerophytes are modified into thorns to prevent transpiration losses. The roots are very deep-seated and deep-rooted to absorb moisture from the ground. The stems are also green and fleshy to perform photosynthesis and store water.