Question: why phylloclade of opuntia is thick and fleshy?
Answer: Opuntia is a xerophytic plant, that is, it grows in hot and arid deserts. ... Since Opuntia grows in deserts where there is scarcity of wter, the root is unable to absorb water. Hence the phylloclade is miodified into thick and flesh structure to store water and keeping the plant alive in xerophytic conditions.