What is cladode? Give an example.

• Cladodes are flattened green stems that have been modified to function as the main photosynthetic organs of a plant. They are typically green, fleshy, and perform the role of leaves. In such plants, the true leaves are often reduced and modified into spines. Cladodes develop from the axil of these plants. A classic example of a plant with cladodes is asparagus, where the small scales found on the spears are actually the true leaves.
• When these spears continue to grow as thick, fleshy, leaf-like structures, they are referred to as cladodes. The presence of cladodes in desert angiosperms is a great example of convergent evolution. All plants in the Cactaceae family possess cladodes. These plants have columnar, water-storing green stems, reduced leaves, and protective spines or thorns, and are commonly called stem succulents.
• In cacti, the leaves on the main stems are very short-lived and do not develop into scale leaves. Instead, leaves from axillary buds—found on round cushion-like areas called areoles on the stem—develop into spines, which serve both as protection and to minimize water loss.
• Example of cladode: Asparagus

Other Types of Leaf Modifications:

1. Storage Leaves – Thick, succulent leaves that store water, commonly found in xerophytic (dry habitat) plants.
2. Tendrils – Slender, coiling structures derived from leaves that help weak-stemmed plants climb supports like walls or nearby plants.
3. Spines – Leaves modified into sharp, thorn-like structures that provide protection and reduce water loss through transpiration.