Cuticle Layer of Plant

This is a photo of a dogwood tree leaf. This leaf represents the cuticle layer of a plant. The cuticle is the non-cellular outer part of an organism that comes in contact with the environment. In plants, the cuticle is the water-impervious protective layer that covers epidermal cells and other parts; through this, water loss is controlled. The shiny, waxy substance on the outside of the leaf is called the cutin. This is a water repellent that helps preserve water. Not only is the cuticle hydrophobic, but it also protects against desiccation, UV radiation, and other harmful agents. The cuticle regulates moisture the leaf receives, so without the cuticle, the leaf would either dry out or drown. It also protects against viruses the plant may come in contact with. It does so because of its two-way transport of certain molecules.







“Leaf Cuticle Allows Select Chemicals to Pass : Common Ivy.” AskNature, asknature.org/strategy/leaf-cuticle-  
        allows-select-chemicals-to-pass/.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Cuticle.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 7 Mar.  
        2016, www.britannica.com/science/cuticle.