CBSE Class 9 Answered

Aquatic plants can float on water because of the following reasons:

• They have buoyancy because of the presence of large air cavities in their parenchyma. This kind of parenchyma is known as aerenchyma. This makes them float on water.
• The presence of a waxy coating on the leaf surfaces prevents the leaves from decaying in the water.
• Most of the aquatic plants have poorly developed root systems.
• Some aquatic plants have submerged stems and their roots anchored to the soil.
• Few aquatic plants have roots that are very short and fibrous. These plants are entirely afloat.