Tag: nutrition and its types

Balanophora is a total root parasite because it sucks sugars, minerals and also water from the roots of host plants like cabbage etc for its survival, in turn, harming the host.

Rafflesia bears the largest flowers of the angiosperms. The flowers can grow to 3 feet and can weigh up to 6 kilograms. The plant is parasitic and the vegetative parts are not visible. The flowers are unisexual. The foul smell produced by the flower attracts the pollinator insects.  

A. The largest root parasite is rafflesia because rafflesia blooms the largest flower grows to be 3 ft across and almost 50 pounds. The only visible parts of this parasite are usually its flower.

Epiphytes are plants that grow attached to other plants. Epiphytes and climbing plants have aerial roots that anchor the plant to the bark, branch or another surface on which it grows. Aerial roots of some epiphytes are specialized not only for anchorage but some have photosynthetic roots (some epiphytic orchids), some absorb water. Some parasitic epiphytes, such as mistletoe (Phorodendron sp, etc.), have roots that penetrate the host plant tissues and absorb nutrients.

Rafflesia is an example of the obligate root parasites. These parasites are organism which cannot complete its life cycle without a host. It is done with the help of an absorptive organ, the haustorium.

Parasitic plants obtain their nutritional requirements from a host plant. 

A bacteria or fungi that lives within in a plant within the intercellular spaces, tissue cavities, or vascular bundles without harming the host is called as endophytes. They often benefit the host.