Corms are a stem modification used for storage; which genus is commonly cited as having a corm?

Corms are a stem modification used for storage; which genus is commonly cited as having a corm?

• A. Zaminkand
• B. Cucumber
• C. Pineapple
• D. Colocasia

Answer: (D)

Corms are swollen underground stems that store nutrients to help a plant survive adverse times. A true corm is a vertical, compact stem with a tunic, from which shoots grow upward and roots grow downward. Colocasia, the taro plant, is commonly cited as having a corm because it forms this kind of underground storage stem that the plant uses to regrow after dormancy. The other options don’t fit the idea of a corm. Cucumber is a vine that stores nothing in a corm; its edible part is a fruit formed from the flower, not a storage stem. Pineapple is a multiple fruit made from many fused flowers, not a single corm-based storage organ. Zaminkand isn’t a standard example taught as a plant with a corm.

Corms are swollen underground stems that store nutrients to help a plant survive adverse times. A true corm is a vertical, compact stem with a tunic, from which shoots grow upward and roots grow downward. Colocasia, the taro plant, is commonly cited as having a corm because it forms this kind of underground storage stem that the plant uses to regrow after dormancy.

The other options don’t fit the idea of a corm. Cucumber is a vine that stores nothing in a corm; its edible part is a fruit formed from the flower, not a storage stem. Pineapple is a multiple fruit made from many fused flowers, not a single corm-based storage organ. Zaminkand isn’t a standard example taught as a plant with a corm.