Which group includes plants with leaves floating on the surface (for example water lilies, duckweed)?

• A. Submerged Plants
• B. Floating Plants
• C. Emergent Plants
• D. Limnetic Zone

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how aquatic plants position their leaves and stems in relation to the water surface. Plants whose leaves sit on or right at the surface are classified as floating plants. Water lilies have broad leaves that ride on the surface with their roots anchored in the sediment, while duckweed consists of tiny leaves that literally float on top with roots hanging beneath. This surface-feeding arrangement distinguishes them from other growth forms. Submerged plants keep all their leaves underwater, and emergent plants have roots in the sediment but leaves that rise above the water. The limnetic zone is an open-water area, not a plant-growth form, so it isn’t the category for describing leaf position. So the group that includes plants with leaves floating on the surface is floating plants.