25. Cuticle Layer of a Plant

     This is a picture of a leaf and represents the cuticle layer of a plant. A cuticle is a waxy layer that completely covers the outside of a plant’s leaves and stem. The cuticle protects a plant from losing too much water by acting as a sort of barrier. The thickness of the cuticle can vary, but all plants have cuticles; the cuticle covers parts of the plant that are above ground, including the leaves and non-woody stems. The cuticle can sometimes cause the leaves to have a glossy or shiny appearance, as seen here.