Wikipedia:Today's second feature/August 13, 2005
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Succulents are plants that store water in their enlarged fleshy leaves, stems, or roots, as shown in this split aloe leaf. This allows them to survive in arid environments.
The enlargement is usually due to the greater amount of the parenchyma tissue. Many succulents have a waxy coating on their stems and leaves, helping them to retain moisture. Having a large internal volume for storage but minimum surface area is also important to prevent drying up.
Photo credit: Raul654