Lab 2 Journal Entry
Most of the observed plants have small to large leaves, but a combined large surface area that is used to maximize photosynthesis. There is not one universal adaptation that applies to all the species observed, and this is mostly due to the large diversification of species within the plant kingdom, as well as the different climates/environments that the species are found in. One adaptation of Cenizo (one of my observations) is the presence of hundreds of tiny hairs found along the leaves of the plant. These hairs give the plant its gray appearance, and the hairs deflect the sun's rays to maximize water conservation by reducing the effects of evaporation, which is especially important in Texas. The phylogenic placement of Turk's cap (Malvaviscus arboreus) is really complex. It spirals deep into land plants, diverging into angiospermae, and into a family of flowering plants called Malvaceae.