Plant Adaptions

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  1. Name the species by common and scientific name. Identify the native range( where is it native to )  and habitat of each species.   

Wolfsbane or Aconitum napellus  is primarily native in the mountains of Western and Central Europe. There are 100 native species in North America (University of Arkansas System, 2016). Wolfsbane can be found in the  highest  altitudes of Asia. Wolfsbane prefers the cool and moist environment to grow in.  While Agave or Agave americana  is native to some of the most hottest  and arid regions in Mexico, Southern United States, and the Caribbean (Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2023). The epidermis has a waxy coat to prevent water loss in the arid environment (Wooster Field Botany, 2020). 

  1. Compare their leaves, noting a key difference between them in terms of structure and function.    

Wolfsbane leaves are in a palm formation  in groups of 5-7 leaflets with incised margins (King, 2005) (University of Arkansas System, 2016). The flowers of Wolfsbane are blueish purple.  They have multiple flowers. 

Agave leaves can be up to 8 feet and have a leathery texture (Petruzzello, 2023).  They have a rosette shape. Along the edges of the leaves are spines. At the tip of the blade is a large spine.  The leaves' colors range from green to blue. Inside the tissue of the leaves are chloroplasts that absorb sunlight to convert into sugar to produce a flower in the center of the Agave (Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2023).

 

  1. Compare their roots and stems in the same way.  

Agave has rhizomes. Rhizomes are horizontal roots that spread underground producing multiple bases for the plant. Agave has an extremely short stem.  The leaves of the agave grow directly from the roots (Petruzzello, 2023). 

Wolfsbane has tuberous fibrous roots. Parenchyma cells create tissues for storage in the roots for high concentrations of poison able to paralyze  nerves and stop the heart (Grandmont, 2017). Their stems range from two to four feet tall. The leaves growth branches off the stem horizontally.  

 

  1. Based on your analysis, are the two in stark contrast or are they relatively similar in terms of structure and function? Explain.   

Both plants have flowers and leaves. It may take the Agave up to 30 years  to produce a flower, then  they die (Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2023). Wolfsbane produces flowers in a season and returns the next year. Some Wolfsbane  do have fibrous roots; they can produce rhizomes but are less common. The appearance of their leaves are very different. The leaves of Wolfsbane are compound while the leaves of an agave are simple. The leaves of agave don’t have incised margins. Agave has a different process to reduce the amount of water lost in its environment. They both have some similarities, I would not group them together.