Ans.
Plant waxes include complex compounds of alcohols, carbohydrates, acids, esters, hydrocarbons, and their combinations, present at the outside of epidermal cells. These waxes are strongly hydrophobic in nature and act as water repellents.
Thus, they provide protection to the aquatic plants against surface wetting. In land plants, waxes, present in cuticle prevent water loss, such as in dessert plants. Other functions of waxes include energy-storage, self-cleaning and reflection of UV radiation.