Texas FFA Nursery Landscape Practice Exam

Underground stems with scale-like fleshy leaves (like leek and onion) are called?

1. Roots

2. Stolons

3. Tubers

4. Bulbs

The correct answer is: Bulbs

The correct choice is bulbs because they are specific underground structures that consist of a short stem surrounded by layers of scale-like fleshy leaves, which serve as storage for nutrients. This unique anatomy is what distinguishes bulbs from other plant structures. The fleshy leaves are designed to store energy and moisture, which helps the plant survive adverse conditions, like winter. Common examples of plants that have bulbs include onions and garlic, which are cultivated for both their culinary uses and their ability to thrive in various environments. Other choices, while related to plant structures, do not match this specific definition. Roots anchor the plant in the soil and absorb water and nutrients, but they do not possess the layered structure typical of bulbs. Stolons are horizontal stems that grow along the surface of the ground and can produce new plants, but again, they lack the fleshy storage leaves characteristic of bulbs. Tubers are swollen portions of underground stems or roots that store nutrients, but they are not organized in the layered structure that defines bulbs. Thus, bulbs are uniquely characterized by their bulbous shape and storage capacity in fleshy leaves, making this the correct answer.