In the life of a plant alcohols play an important role in the maturation and fruiting process. They also form the basis for the protective wax cuticle that keeps the plant free from insect and fungus attack. Plant wax in the form of the cuticle surrounding the surfaces of leaves and stems of plants also allows the plant to retain moisture in times of drought. The wax in the cuticle is the end product of alcohol metabolism as sugar is metabolized in the plant. Roughly, the sequence is sugar, alcohol as ethanol, alcohol as oil or fat, and alcohol as wax.