Simulation · Biology · Class 11
Why does a grass leaf roll up?
"Why does a grass leaf roll up?" is a free, interactive Class 11 Biology simulation for NEET, built on the lesson "Isobilateral leaf" in Anatomy of Flowering Plants. Lower the water held in the bulliform cells, the large pale cells on the upper surface between the veins. Watch which surface ends up inside. Bulliform cells are adaxial epidermal cells along the veins of grass leaves. Turgid: the leaf is open. Flaccid under water stress: the leaf curls inwards to cut water loss.
From the lesson Isobilateral leaf in Anatomy of Flowering Plants. Change the values and watch what happens.
Why does a grass leaf roll up?Biology · Class 11
The idea behind it
NCERT §6.2.6, Figure 6.5
- A monocot leaf is isobilateral. It is built much like the dorsiventral leaf, with two key differences.
- Stomata occur on both the upper and the lower epidermis.
- The mesophyll is not divided into palisade and spongy parenchyma.
- In grasses, some adaxial epidermal cells along the veins become large, empty, colourless bulliform cells.
- When bulliform cells are full of water (turgid), the leaf lies open and its surface is exposed.
- When water is short and they go flaccid, the leaf rolls inwards, which reduces water loss.
- Because venation is parallel, the vascular bundles in a vertical section are of nearly the same size, except in the main veins.
Questions
2 answers
- What does the "Why does a grass leaf roll up?" simulation show?
- Lower the water held in the bulliform cells, the large pale cells on the upper surface between the veins. Watch which surface ends up inside.
- Is this simulation free?
- Yes. It is free and runs in the browser on a phone or a laptop. It belongs to the lesson "Isobilateral leaf" in Anatomy of Flowering Plants (Class 11 Biology).
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