Modified aerial stems meant for protection from grazing animals by becoming strong, stout, straight, woody and pointed structures known as thorns are seen in

In some grasses like Agropyron, in strawberry, potato, ginger, turmeric, onion, garlic, lily, zaminkand, and Colocasia modified stems are totally underground and involved in vegetative propagation. Modified stems or branches are totally aerial, sensitive, wiry in cucumber, pumpkin, watermelon, grapevine and help in climbing are known as stem tendrils. In Bougainvillea and Citrus the aerial modified stems are modified axillary buds which become pointed, woody and provide protection are called as thorns. In Opuntia and Euphorbia the aerial modified stems are green have spines or scale leaves, usually fleshy, carryout photosynthesis and usually present in dry regions are called as phylloclades. In mint and jasmine have sub-aerial modified stems known as stolons which arise from basal region of stem arch down wards, come in contact with soil and strike adventitious roots. In free-floating hydrophytes like Pistia and Eichhornia the sub-aerial modified stems are offsets which are lateral branches with short internodes and bear a rosette of leaves and tuft of adventitious roots at every node. In banana, pineapple and Chrysanthemum the sub-aerial stems are suckers which arise from basal and underground portion of stem, grow horizontally in the soil and then come out obliquely upward to develop as leafy shoots.