Shade-grown leaves have less cuticle, cutin, and wax, leading to increased wettability.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not stated
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that a leaf’s surface waxes and cuticle control how water interacts with it. The cuticle, cutin, and epicuticular wax form a hydrophobic barrier that makes water bead up and resist spreading, so wettability is lower. When shade-grown leaves have thinner cuticle and fewer waxes, this barrier is reduced, and water can spread more easily across the surface, increasing wettability. In practical terms, a wetter surface has a smaller contact angle and droplets flatten more readily. So the statement is true: shade-grown leaves tend to wet more easily because their protective surface layers are reduced. There is variation among species, but the general trend supports increased wettability with less cuticle and wax.