Mesophytes are terrestrial plants which are adapted to neither a particularly dry nor particularly wet environment. An example of a mesophytic habitat would be a rural temperate
meadowA meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
, which might contain Goldenrod, Clover, Oxeye Daisy, and
Rosa multiflora.
Mesophytes make up the largest ecological group of terrestrial plants, and usually grow under moderate to hot and humid climatic regions.
Morphological adaptations
Mesophytes do not have any specific morphological adaptations, however they usually have broad, flat and green leaves.
Anatomical adaptations
Mesophytes do not have any special internal structure. Epidermis is single layered usually with obvious stomata and large cortex.
Properties
Mesophytes generally require a more or less continuous water supply. They usually have larger, thinner leaves compared to
xerophyteA xerophyte or xerophytic organism is a plant which has adapted to survive in an environment that lacks water, such as a desert. Xerophytic plants may have adapted shapes and forms or internal functions that reduce their water loss or store water during long periods of dryness...
s, sometimes with a greater number of stomata on the undersides of leaves. Because of their lack of particular
xeromorphicA xerophyte or xerophytic organism is a plant which has adapted to survive in an environment that lacks water, such as a desert. Xerophytic plants may have adapted shapes and forms or internal functions that reduce their water loss or store water during long periods of dryness...
adaptations, when they are exposed to extreme conditions they lose water rapidly, and are not tolerant of drought. Mesophytes are very intermediate in water use and needs. These plants are found in average conditions of temperature and moisture and grow in soil that has no water logging.The roots of mesophytes are well developed, branched and provided with a root cap.The shoot system is well organised .The stem is generally aerial, branched, straight, thick and hard. Leaves are thin, broad in middle, dark green and of variable shape and measurement.
For example, in hot weather they may overheat and suffer from
temperature stressAbiotic stress is stress produced by natural factors such as extreme temperatures, wind, drought, and salinity. Man doesn’t have much control over abiotic stresses. It is very important for humans to understand how stress factors affect plants and other living things so that we can take some...
. They have no specific adaptations to overcome this, but, if there is enough water in the soil to allow this, they can increase their rate of
transpirationTranspiration is a process similar to evaporation. It is a part of the water cycle, and it is the loss of water vapor from parts of plants , especially in leaves but also in stems, flowers and roots. Leaf surfaces are dotted with openings which are collectively called stomata, and in most plants...
by opening their stomata, thus meaning some
heatIn physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...
is removed by the evaporating water. However these plants can only tolerate saturated soil for a certain amount of time without a warm temperature. In dry weather they may suffer from water stress (losing more water via transpiration than can be gained from the soil). Again they have no specific adaptations to overcome this, and can only respond by closing their stomata to prevent further
transpiration. This does actually have some benefits as it reduces the surface area of the leaf exposed to the
atmosphereThe atmosphere of Earth is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention , and reducing temperature extremes between day and night...
, which reduces transpiration. Prolonged periods of dehydration, however, can lead to permanent wilting, cell
plasmolysisPlasmolysis is the process in plant cells where the cytoplasm pulls away from the cell wall due to the loss of water through osmosis. The reverse process, cytolysis, can occur if the cell is in a hypotonic solution resulting in a higher external osmotic pressure and a net flow of water into the cell...
, and subsequent
deathDeath is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
. Since mesophytes prefer moist, well drained soils, most crops are mesophytes. Some examples are:
cornMaize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
(maize),
privetPrivet was originally the name for the European semi-evergreen shrub Ligustrum vulgare, and later also for the more reliably evergreen Ligustrum ovalifolium , used extensively for privacy hedging. It is often suggested that the name privet is related to private, but the OED states that there is no...
,
lilacSyringa is a genus of about 20–25 species of flowering woody plants in the olive family , native to woodland and scrub from southeastern Europe to eastern Asia, and widely and commonly cultivated in temperate areas elsewhere....
,
goldenrodSolidago, commonly called goldenrods, is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Most are herbaceous perennial species found in the meadows and pastures, along roads, ditches and waste areas in North America. There are also a few species native to Mexico, South...
,
cloverClover , or trefoil, is a genus of about 300 species of plants in the leguminous pea family Fabaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution; the highest diversity is found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, but many species also occur in South America and Africa, including at high altitudes...
, and
oxeye daisyLeucanthemum vulgare, the oxeye daisy, , is a widespread flowering plant native to Europe and the temperate regions of Asia...
.