ABSORPTION
As we learned in earlier sections roots are important absorptive organs of most plants. Epiphytic plants however have developed other strategies. This tank bromeliad absorbs water through its leaf bases. Tank bromeliads make nice house plants. What many people don’t realize is that instead of watering this plant through the soil you should water it in its “tank”.
This is Tillandsia, another type of bromeliad. The leaves of this plant have modified trichomes which actually absorb water.
The surface of each leaf is covered in trichomes.
Each trichome is quite elaborate. This is a trichome which has been scraped off the leaf and stained with toluidine blue.
This is the cross-section through a leaf. You can see the trichomes. Note that they cover most of the leaf surface.
This is a section through the trichome. The part that sticks up from the leaf is called the shield. These are dead cells which not only absorb water, but prevent water loss by decreasing air currents over the surface of the leaves.
ABSORPTION