Life processes of Plants | Year 5

Special Characteristics of Plants to Protect Themselves from Enemies

1. Sharp thorns
Some plants have thorns on the leaves, stems of fruits. These thorns will hurt the animals
that touch or eat the plants.
Example: pineapple plant, rose plant, cactus, mimosa plant.

2. Produce latex
Some plants produce latex in the leaves or fruits to prevent them from being eaten.
Example: papaya, mango, jackfruit, rubber tree, yam plant.

3. Fine hairs
Some plants have fine hairs on their fruits, stems or leaves can these hairs can cause
itchiness.
Example: kiwi, bamboo, sugarcane, pumpkin, lalang plant.

4. Produce poisonous substances

Certain types of plants produce poisonous substances that may harm or kill animals or
humans that eat them.
Example: some mushrooms, yam plants, pong-pong trees, Oleander trees.

5. Produce smell
Plants like Rafflesia produce unpleasant smell like rotting flesh. Another example of plant
produces unpleasant smell is tobacco.

Adaptations of Plants in dry regions

1. Long roots
a. Cactus plants that grow in the desert have long roots to absorb water deep in the
ground.

2. Stem to store water

a. Banana plants and cactus plants have thick stems to store water.

3. Needle-shape leaves
a. Casuarina trees, pine tress and cactus trees have needle-shaped leaves to reduce
water loss into the atmosphere.

4. Curl up leaves
a. Banana trees, yam plants and maize plants curl up their leaves during hot days to
reduce water loss to the surroundings through evaporation.

5. Shed leaves
a. Rubber trees and bougainvillea trees shed their leaves during hot seasons

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 Life processes of Plants | Year 5

Adaptations of Plants to strong regions

1. Stem which bend easily

Plants like bamboo and sugarcane have flexible stems that can bend easily when blown by
strong wind.

2. Divided leaves
Plants like coconut tree and bamboo have divided leaves that do not break easily when
blown by strong winds.

Plant survival

Ways of dispersal Special characteristic Function Example

By water ~ Light Enable fruits to float on Lotus
~ have air space water and be carried away by
the water
~ Covered with waxy Prevent water from entering Coconut, pong-
skin the fruit pong
~ Have husk and air Helps fruits to float on water Coconut, nipah
spaces palm
By wind Small, light, dry, have Fruits or seeds can be carried Shorea,
wing-like structure away easily by wind angsana
Small, dry, light, have Fruits or seeds can be blown Cotton, Lalang,
fine hairs away by the wind to far away kapok
places
By explosive Dry when ripe The fruits dry up and burst Balsam plant,
mechanism when they are ripe and the chestnut, okra,
seeds are thrown far away flame of the
from parent plant. forest, rubber
seed
By animals/ humans Brightly coloured, ~Colourful fruits attract Rambutan,
edible, tasty, have animals to eat them mango, durian
pleasant smell, hard ~the seeds are dispersed
seeds. after the flesh ahs been eaten
Have small and hard ~The fruits as well as the Guava,
seeds seeds are eaten by animals. watermelon
! The seeds will be passed
out in the faeces of the
animals
Have hooks Fruits with hooks which can Love grass,
cling on animals’ fur or skin mimosa fruit,
to be dispersed. kelulut

** Plants need to disperse their seeds or fruits to ensure the survival of their species.