Describe various stem modifications

(i) Food storage – Underground stems of potato, ginger, turmeric, Samarkand, Colocasia are modified to store food in them.

(ii) Climbing – Stem tendrils which develop from axillary buds, are slender and spirally coiled and help plants to climb such as in gourds (cucumber, pumpkins, watermelon) and grapevines.

(iii) Protection – Axillary buds of stems may also get modified into woody, straight and pointed thorns. Thorns are found in many plants such as Citrus, Bougainvillea.