Final answer:
The student is asked to match each plant type with its respective stem modification. Examples include rhizomes in ginger, runners in strawberries, tubers in potatoes, and bulbs in onions, each aiding in plant reproduction and nutrient storage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves matching each plant to its respective stem type. Plants have various stem modifications that enable them to thrive in different environments. These modifications include rhizomes, stolons, runners, corms, tubers, and bulbs.
- Rhizomes are modified stems that grow horizontally underground, such as in ginger (Zingiber officinale), and they can give rise to new plants.
- Stolons are stems that run almost parallel to the ground or just below the surface, and can give rise to new plants at the nodes.
- Runners are a type of stolon that runs above the ground and produces new clone plants at nodes at varying intervals; strawberries (Fragaria ananassa) are an example.
- Corms are similar to rhizomes but are more rounded and fleshy; they contain stored food that enables some plants to survive the winter.
- Tubers are modified stems that store starch and may have adventitious buds, known as "eyes", as seen in potatoes (Solanum tuberosum).
- Bulbs function as an underground storage unit and have the appearance of enlarged fleshy leaves surrounding the base of a stem, for example, red onions (Allium).
Each of these stem modifications not only helps in plant reproduction but also in storage of nutrients, providing great advantages to plants for survival.