WEEK 8
Plant Forms
Aquatic plants : are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments (saltwater or freshwater ). They are
also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes . These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in
water, or at the water’s surface.
The principal factor controlling the distribution of aquatic plants is the depth and duration of flooding. However,
other factors may also control their distribution, abundance, and growth form, including nutrients,
disturbance from waves, grazing, and salinity. One of the largest aquatic plants in the world is the
Amazon water lily ; one of the smallest is the minute duckweed . Many small aquatic animals use plants like
duckweed for a home, or for protection from predators, but areas with more vegetation are likely to have more
predators. Some other familiar examples of aquatic plants might include floating heart , water lily , lotus , and
water hyacinth .
A terrestrial plant: is a plant that grows on or in or from land.