Terrestrial Plants
Plants that grow on land are called terrestrial plants. Terrestrial plants are found in different types of terrestrial habitats such as deserts, marshes, plains, forests, grasslands and coastal regions.
Deserts
Deserts are areas of land that receive little or no rain. The temperature during the day is very high. It is hot, dry and sandy in deserts. Due to the low rainfall, very small amount of water is available in the deserts. The water is present deep under the ground. Due to the scarcity of water in deserts, only few plants grow there. The desert plants also called xerophytes, have adapted themselves to obtain water from the ground, and also mnimise minimise water loss from their body parts.
A cactus plant that is found in desert shows the following adaptations.
1. It has succulent stem which can store large amounts of water.
2. The leaves of the cactus plant are modified into thin andsharp spines which prevent the loss of water through transpiration Transpiration is the process by which water is lost through the stomata of leaves.
3. The roots of the cactus plant grow very deep into the ground and spread out wide to absorb as much water as possible from the ground.
Palm and acacia are some examples of desert plants.
Hills
The temperature in the hills varies from cold to extremely cold. During winters, there is snowfall in some areas. Sometimes days can be very windy too. Trees that grow on the hills have adapted themselves to survive the cold and windy conditions.
Pine, spruce, fir and cedar are examples of trees found in hilly areas. Trees found on hills have a conical shape.
A pine tree that is found on the hills shows the following adaptations.
1. Pine trees have a conical shape. Due to this shape, water and snow easily slides down the leaves and does not settle on it.
2. The leaves of the pine tree are needle-shaped. They are tough and coated with wax. Thus, they do not get damaged by extreme cold.
3. The leaves hang downwards to reduce water loss by transpiration.
4. The roots grow deep into the soil so that the trees can withstand against strong winds that blow on the mountains.
5. Coniferous trees do not shed their leaves. They are called evergreen trees as they remain green throughout the year.
Marshes
Marshes have plenty of water and clayey soil. In clayey soil, there are very little air spaces between the soil particles
Plants in marshes have adapted themselves to obtain air. They are also adapted to bear the constant water movement without causing any damage to their body parts.
Mangrove trees grow in marshes. Their roots do not get air under the soil. So, they grow special roots above the soil to breathe. Such roots are called breathing roots.
Plains
Plains mostly have a moderate climate. It is neither too hot (as in the deserts) nor too cold (as in the hills). Plains receive sufficient rainfall.
In India, trees such as peepal, gulmohar, sheesham and teak shed their leaves in winter season to protect themselves from the cold weather. Such trees are called deciduous trees. In spring season, new leaves grow on these trees.
Trees such as coconut, mango and banyan grow in hot and damp regions. They are evergreen trees.
Grasslands
Grasslands are large areas of land covered with grasses and wild flowers. The plants are adapted to develop deep roots in order to absorb water from deep in the soil. This makes the soil rich in nutrients and suitable for farming. Roots also bind the soil together, Grasslands receive very less rainfall, Therefore, the amount of tall trees or bushes are very less in grasslands. However, small trees are scattered throughout the grasslands. Foxtail and ryegrass are some examples of plants that are found in grasslands.
Coastal regions
Certain regions near sea coasts receive high rainfall and the water can be salty. Coconut, rubber and pepper are some plants that grow in these regions. Coastal trees do not shed their leaves in winter season.
Forests
Forests are regons that are thickly populated with different kinds of plants. They experience heavy rainfall. Many varieties of trees, shrubs and herbs are found here. Forests are home to a wide variety of animals and birds.
The leaves of plants growing in the forests have waxy coating with pointed tips. These allow water to drain away from the leaves. Also, the soils found in the forests are shallow. Plants growing in these soils have special roots that help them to stand firmly in the soil. Orchid, mahogany, rosewood and sandalwood are some examples of plants that are found in forests.
