Water and Other Factors

As the diagram above shows xylem vessels pulls water up and the phloem vessels pull it up and down allowing for the transport of photosynthesis products out of the leaf. Not only that, but the leaves of the Mesquite are small and wax coated, which minimizes transpiration. Water may be pulled into the root by low xylem pressure and also follows osmotic gradients caused by the mineral nutrients, which are taken up actively. After nutrients are inside living root cells and have been converted to appropriate compounds, the latter are released into the xylem and move to above-ground parts.across root cell membranes


Transpiration is another action of plants that is affected by abiotic factors; such as light, humidity, temperature, and wind.

Light - The rate of transpiration is much greater when light is available as the stomata close in the dark.
Humidity - Water diffuses out of the leaf, down its concentration gradient, from a high concentration gradient inside the leaf to a lower concentration gradient in the air. The lower concentration gradient in the air is vital for transpiration. Humidity is the water vapour in the air, therefore a rise in humidity means a larger concentration of water vapour in the air and results in a decrease in transpiration rate. 
Temperature - As temperature rises, so does the rate of transpiration. This is because heat is vital for the evaporation of water vapour from the cell walls of spongy mesophyll cells. A rise in temperature leads to an increase in the evaporation rate thereby increasing transpiration rate. Higher temperatures also increase the rate of diffusion between air spaces inside the leaf and the air outside. Finally, an increase in temperature causes a reduction in humidity in the air outside the leaf which causes an increase in concentration gradient and therefore an increase in transpiration rate. 


Wind - Wind increases the transpiration rate by removing the humidity around the leaf produced by transpiration.

USES AND FUN FACTS

WHAT ARE THEY GOOD FOR???

• A drink called atole was made from a concoction of ground beans and water

• Trunks and limbs were used for shelters and fencing.
• Aztecs made a lotion to soothe sore eyes from ground mesquite leaves mixed with water.
• Yuma Indians treated venereal disease with an infusion of leaves, and Comanches relieved toothaches by chewing the leaves. 
• Yaquis treated headaches with a poultice made from mashing leaves to a pulp, mixing them with water and binding the mixture to the forehead.
• The sap that oozed from mesquite bark was mixed with water to treat sore throats and diarrhea, aid digestion, and help wounds heal. 
• The Yavapai rubbed a mixture of mud and mesquite sap into their hair to simultaneously kill lice and dye their hair.
• Roots provided a reliable source of water in the generally treeless desert Southwest
• The light-amber colored sap that oozes from mesquite bark in the fall was used as a glue to mend pottery. 
• Indian women made cuts in the bark to gather a darker sap, full of tannins, to use as hair dye or to decorate bark clothing.
• Indian women pounded bark into flat sheets of fiber for clothing.
• Southwestern Indians used mesquite wood or root fiber to fashion harpoons, harpoon cords, bowstrings, cradles, and agricultural tools including weed cutters and planters. Mesquite sapglued arrow points and feathers onto arrow shafts, and it waterproofed the insides and outsides of basket-jars for carrying water.

Identifying and Using!

HOW TO IDENTIFY!!!

Branches? They are often droopy and crooked in shape, in order to help support the plant!

Flowers? Have five petals, and they bloom from spring to summer. They're called "Catkins" and they're pale green or yellow, and from those flowers beans are produced.

Leaves? Their leaves have two or more secondary veins each with two rows with leaflets. 

Relationships!

SYMBIOSIS!
The Mesquite Tree has 2 symbiotic relationships I found. The relationship it has with Fungae Hyphae, which assists the tree with Nitrogen Fixation, and with the sparrow, which uses the tree for a home and protection and in return eats insects that may harm the tree.

The relationship it holds with humans is just as simple. The tree is not endangered, in fact it is considered a weed because it sucks up water and other nutrients, not allowing other plants to survive. Actually in Texas they are trying to kill it off!

Adaptations for Survival

Four adaptations include;

1. Their large taproot
2. Their thorns, sharply pointed and strong, challenge browsing by desert herbivores
3. Their leaves, small and wax coated, minimize transpiration
4. Their seeds, abundant and protectively coated, may last for decades, serving as seed banks that improve the odds for wide distribution and successful germination.

Defense? They have thorns they use to defend themselves from creatures who wish harm on them!

Growing, growing, growing!

To begin we have to know what a meristem is. The dictionary definition of a meristem is a region of plant tissue, found chiefly at the growing tips of roots and shoots and in the cambium, consisting of actively dividing cells forming new tissue. Basically meristems are what cause plants to grow in height and width, The Mesquite has both types, Apical and Lateral. The Apical Meristem is tissue found in the buds and growing tips of roots in plants. Its main function is to begin growth of new cells in young seedlings at the tips of roots and shoots. The Lateral Meristem, also called the secondary meristem, which is found in all woody plants, consist of the vascular cambium and the cork cambium. It produces secondary tissues from a ring of vascular cambium in stems and roots. Secondary phloem forms along the outer edge of the cambium ring, and secondary xylem (wood/bark) forms along the inner edge of the cambium ring. The cork cambium produces a secondary dermal tissue that replaces the epidermis along older stems and roots.

Auxin is a hormone that promotes elongation of cells in the stem. Auxin is synthesized by the tip of the stem, and is carried to the part of stem which receives less light. This will cause the elongation of that side, thus bending towards the bright side.

Fixation on Roots

So to begin with roots we have to understand what kind of roots the Mesquite has and why. The Mesquite has tap roots in order to dig deep into the ground to search for water and nutrients because of its habitat, the desert. The root system is quite extensive and will spread far and wide to consume whatever moisture is available, sometimes to the detriment of other plantings near the tree. In areas where the soil is shallow, where water does not penetrate deeply, or where a distinct calcium carbonate layer is present, the taproot seldom extends more than 3 to 6 feet , and an extensive system of lateral roots often extends up to 60 feet away from the plant base. Another interesting fact about the roots is that the roots of the Honey Mesquite is capable of housing N2-fixing bacteria in nodes along its roots.
In order for the tree to get any nutrients mineral ions must be able to get into the root, they do this by Fungae Hyphae (mutualism), which diffuse the mineral ions from the water for the tree and assist it in entering the trees roots.
The roots not only allow for absorption of minerals and water, but the also assist the droopy branches and multiple trunks support the tree.

Those are the basics on the roots of this tree!

Leaf and Stem Structure

So the structure of the leaf and stem of the Mesquite are both filled with tissues and cells, just like any other plant.Here is the stem; 

So to start with the leaf, look at the diagram below;

As can be seen it is filled to the brim with just stuff.  So to start with tissues we have to look at the Vascular Tissues, the Xylem and Phloem. The Xylem brings water to replace losses due to transpiration, and inorganic minerals from the soil. The Phloem transports products of photosynthesis out of the leaf. Then on top the Epidermic Layers we go, the Upper Layer is responsible for preventing water loss from the upper surface even when heated by sunlight. It is able to do this because it is a a continuous layer of cells covered by a thick waxy cuticle. The Lower Layer does the same except it is not hit by sunlight and is generally thinner. Finally there are the Mesophyllic Layers, they are on the inside of the Epidermis Layers, and there are two types. Spongy and the Palisade. The Spongy Layer consists of loosely packed rounded cells with few chloroplasts. This tissue provides the main gas exchange surface so must be near the stomata in the lower epidermis. And the Palisade Layer consists of densely packed cylindrical cells with many chloroplasts. This is the main photosynthetic tissue and is positions near the upper surface where the light intensity is highest.

That's it for stems and leaves today though!

The Life of the Mesquite

The life cycle of the Mesquite is the same as any other angiosperm starting with the production of flower which in turn creates an egg in each  ovule. Once the egg is in existence pollination occurs thanks to pollinating creatures such as bees and butterflies and because of stamen and pistils, which allows self-pollination. After pollination, fertilization generally occurs, producing an embryo within a developing seed. A fruit then encloses the seed for protection, the fruit, which attracts animals, is then eaten and those seeds are dispersed by domestic and wild creatures, Then the dispersed seeds begin to grow into a new plant. This is shown in the diagram below. 

The life span of this tree is, if undisturbed, between 172 years and 217 years. This life span is pretty moderate for trees. In the span of these years they can grow up to 25-30 feet tall and 30-45 feet wide.

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Check Ours Out!

Here at Tempe High we have our very our Mesquite Tree. It sits between F building and the Main gym in a little court yard!
Here's a little picture of our big tree!

Basic Information!

Hi guys,
As you probably all know my name is Angelique Felix and I created this to give everyone information about this tree, the Honey Mesquite or as it is scientifically known as  the Prosopis Glandulosa. This tree thrives in a desert biome, which is why it is able to grow here in Arizona, and other places such as Texas. Environments such as the desert biome have the ideal conditions for the Mesquite tree to grow in, conditions such as;

• Soil 
• pH
• Water
• Light

This plant has extraordinary adaptations that allow it to grow in these dry, hot environments. It means is adapts to any soil that is not “soggy”, meaning poorly draining soil and that soil has a pH between 6 and 9. Its adaptations are not limited to the soil, but they also require little water and little nutrients. and fix nitrogen and release it back into the soil. As all other plants, the Honey Mesquite requires light, and living in the desert allows it the extreme amount it needs to produce energy and go through photosynthesis. 

Now, I leave you with this picture of the Amazing Honey Mesquite!