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Exercise · Q1

Q.Which one of the following will grow better in moist and shady region?

(a) Opuntia
(b) Orchid
(c) Mangrove
(d) Lotus
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✓ Free question

Step 1. Match each option to its natural habitat: Opuntia is a xerophyte adapted to dry, sunny deserts; Mangrove (e.g. Rhizophora) is a halophyte of open, sunlit saline swamps; Lotus is a hydrophyte needing open, well-lit water; Orchid is typically an epiphyte of humid, shaded forest canopies, absorbing moisture from the air through its velamen-covered aerial roots.

Step 2. Of these four, only the orchid is structurally suited to grow well specifically in moist, shady conditions — its epiphytic roots need atmospheric humidity rather than direct soil water or full sun.

✓Final answer

(b) Orchid, because it is an epiphyte whose velamen-covered aerial roots are adapted to absorb moisture from a humid, shaded atmosphere rather than from soil or open sunlight.

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