Question

Orchids are a recently evolved plant that have a novel feature known as aerial roots. What is the most likely function of an orchid's specialized roots?

Answer 1

Plants such as epiphytes or orchids have aerial roots. Epiphyte plants grow on other plants without harming them. Aerial roots of orchids are needed for physical support: to climb other plants and compete for sunlight.

Answer 2

Orchids are epiphytic plants which means they grow on other plants and trees. To grow on other plants, they exhibit small tentacles like structures called aerial roots.

Aerial roots grow above the soil towards the sky. In orchid plants, these aerial roosts help them to grow and attach to other plants. It is a normal behavior seen in orchids.

Moreover, their ability to grow on other plats does not harm the host plants as orchids get their food from the surrounding environment which contains necessary nutrients.