Page 33 - Photosynthesis: The Green Miracle

Plant leaves have been created in complete
harmony with their environment. For exam-
ple, the flexible tissues that serve as the
skeletons in leaves and the fact that they
can be folded inwards, reduce the effect of
the wind (top). The roots or holdfasts of un-
derwater plants such as seaweed, that ad-
here to rocks, are very strong (left).
Climbing plants such as vines (below) must
keep their leaves constantly turned towards
the Sun. However, since the tree they climb
up usually blocks out sunlight from above,
the vine’s leaf changes its angle to the stem
in the most appropriate manner, rather than
remaining at the same level.