What describes plants that extend above the surface of the water?

Emergent plants are those that grow in water but have portions that rise above the surface. This characteristic allows them to photosynthesize effectively while remaining anchored in the soil at the bottom of a body of water. Emergent plants are typically found in wetlands, lakes, and along the edges of rivers, where their stems and leaves reach upward, creating habitat for various wildlife and providing important ecological functions.

While floating plants remain on the water's surface, they do not extend above the water, and submergent plants are entirely underwater. Nonselective herbicides target a broad spectrum of plants without differentiating between various species, which is unrelated to the structural characteristics of the plants themselves. Therefore, emergent plants are distinctly defined by their ability to extend above the water's surface.