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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that bonafide record has been

done by _____________ of class ______in the
school Biology laboratory during the academic
year 2019 - 2020.

SCHOOL STAMP TEACHER’S SIGNATURE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Primarily I would thank God for being able to
complete this project with success. Then I would
like to thank my biology teacher Mrs. Padma
Lakshmi whose valuable guidance has been the
once that helped me and her major contribution
towards the completion of the project.

Then I would like to thank my parents and friends

who have helped me with their valuable
suggestion and guidance has been helpful.

Last but not the least I would like to thank my

classmates who have helped me a lot.
 INDEX
1. Acknowledgement

2. Aim

3. Apparatus

4. Theory

5. Procedure

6. Observation

7. Result
 ESTIMATION
OF
WATER COMPONENTS
IN
HYDROPHYTES,
MESOPHYTES
AND
XEROPHYTES
AIM: -

To estimate water contents in various hydrophytic,

mesophytic and xerophytic plants of the locality.

APPARATUS: -

2-3 Mesophytic, hydrophytic and xerophytic plants,

water, filter papers, weighing machine, petridishes

THEORY: -

Water makes one of the ecological factors on the earth.

Living organisms contain more than 80% water of their
fresh weight. Water is vital both as a solvent in which
many metabolic processes within the body.
Metabolism is the sum total of anabolic and catabolism.
In anabolism, water is removed from molecules
(through energy requiring enzymatic chemical reaction)
in order to grow larger molecules (e.g. starches,
triglycerides and proteins for storage of fuels and
information). In catabolism, water is used to break
bonds in order to generate smaller molecules.
Living organisms shows various morphological,
anatomical and physiological adaptations, depending
on the availability of water.
Depending on availability of water plants are classified
into three types:
1. Hydrophytes
2. Mesophytes
3. Xerophytes

1. Hydrophytes:

These are the plants which grow in watery places or

places which remain wet throughout the year.
For example, Hydrilla, Vallisneria, Pistia, Lotus.
Hydrophytes have the following adaptations:
(i) Poorly developed root system.
(ii) Cuticle and stomata are absent.
(iii) Leaves are thin and ribbon-like.
(iv) Root hairs and root cap are absent.
(v) Tissues have air spaces to keep plants afloat.
2. Mesophytes:

These are the plants which live in moderate conditions

of light, temperature, water and oxygen.
For example: most of the cultivated plants like apple,
guava, litchi, lime, orange.
Mesophytic plants have the following adaptations:

(i) Well-developed root system and root hairs.

(ii) Stem have well-developed mechanical and
vascular tissue.
(iii) Stems is solid and freely branched.
(iv) Leaves are large and broad.
(v) Stomata are present on both the surfaces of
leaves

3. Xerophytes:

These plants grow in deserts or dry places where there

is scarcity of water.
For example, Cactus, Agave, Asparagus, Euphorbia.
Xerophytes plants have the following adaptations:
(i) Numerous root hairs.
(ii) Extensive root system, deep in the soil.
(iii) Leaves coated with cuticle to check loss of
water.
 (iv) Stem becomes thick, fleshy for conserving
water.
(v) Stomata few, sunken in pits or covered with
fine hairs.
(vi) Leaves are small, reduced, scale – like.

As water is indispensable for the life of plants so

whenever a tissue is subjected to high temperature and
it losses water and gets dried so by calculating wet and
dry weights of the tissues, amount of water present in
tissues can be calculated.

PROCEDURE: -

1. First of all clean 10 g of plant by using filter paper

and keep in oven at 60° C for 4 hours till they
become dry.

2. Now weigh the dried plant.

3. Again keep in over by using for 2 hrs and weigh.

4. Repeat till you get constant weight.

 5. Repeat the process for different kinds of plants.

6. Compute the percentage of water by using the

formula.

Initial weight (i.e., weight of fresh tissue) –

Percentage of water = Final weight (i.e. weight of dry tissue) × 100

Initial weight
OBSERVATION: -

S. No Name of Initial Final Water % of

plant weight weight content water =
(i.e. Wt. (i.e. Wt. in the (A–B)/A
of fresh of dried tissue ×100
tissue) A tissue) B (A – B)
Hydrophytes

(1)

(2)

Mesophytes

(1)

(2)

Xerophytes

(1)

(2)

Initial weight (i.e., weight of fresh tissue) –

Percentage of water = Final weight (i.e. weight of dry tissue) × 100

Initial weight
RESULT: -

Hydrophytic plants have got the maximum water

contents in their tissues; whereas xerophytic plants
have minimum water content.

• Since hydrophytes are supported by water, they

live in so have thin, flexible stems which make
floating and moving in water easily. Their stems
have large air spaces in them to allow for easy
diffusion of molecules into the plant. They have
little or no xylem.

• Mesophytes stem provides support and a water

transport system.

• Xerophytes have woody, sturd stems to expand

quickly when it rains, and have a thick layer of
cuticle on them
PRECAUTIONS: -

1. Equal amounts of tissue should be taken

initially.

2. The tissue should be dried in oven and

weighed again till you get constant weight,
i.e. all the water has been lost.

3. Weighing should be done accurately.

4. Care should be taken so as not to burn the

tissue.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: -

1. Wikipedia

2. ARYA Publications

3. www.brainly.com

4. www.quora.com