PLANT STRUCTURE

Roots and Shoots

Roots anchor, absorb H2O and minerals, and store starch.

The SHOOT is the above- ground portion of the plant. The stem transports
water and minerals to then leaves and sugar to the roots.

Tissue Types

Plants have four tissue types:

* Vascular Tissue transport

* Dermal Tissue – Protects

* Meristematic Tissue Grows ( cells divide0

* Ground Tissue ( w/c forms the rest of the plant.)

VASCULAR TISSUE:

Xylem – transport water and minerals from roots to leaves.

Phloem – transports organic nutrients, usually from leaves to roots

Meristematic Tissue:

-- areas within the plant that are capable of growth ( cell division)

Dermal Tissue:

---- consists of closely packed cells that function to protect.

---- The EPIDERMIS has a waxy covering called a CUTICLE that protects the
plant from desiccation.

---- The PERIDEM is the outer part of the bark.

Ground Tissue:

---- fills interior of plant. It contains parenchyma, collenchyma, and

sclerenchyma cells.

PARENCHYMA

– found in all organs

---Usually functions in photosynthesis or storage.

COLLENCHYMA

-- often forms bundles just beneath the epidermis for flexible support of
immature parts of the plant body.

SCLERENCHYMA

-- function to support mature regions and produce hard parts ( ex: nut
shellls0

AXILLARY BUDS

In the axes of mature leaves.

Develop into branches.

Stem External Structure

- Stems support, conduct, store water and sometimes photosynthesize.

 * nodes- where leaves attach

* internodes – between nodes

* bud – contains apical meristem and newly- forming leaves.

* leaves – photosynthetic organs

Types of Stems

Stolons ( runners) – horizontal, above ground- strawberries

Rhizomes – horizontal, underground – ginger

Tubers – enlarged tips of rhizomes; food storage – potato

Corms – underground, short, thick ,vertical; food storage- gladiolus.

Bulbs – underground with thick, fleshy leaves- onion

Tendrils – assist plant in climbing- squash

Leaves – usually function in photosynthesis , they are flattened to

increase the surface exposed to light.

- reduced in dry areas ( ex: spines in cacti)

- can be adapted for food storage (onions)

- climbing leaves can be modified as TENDRIS.

- monocot leaves have parallel veins; dicot leaves have a net –

like pattern.

Stomata - Openings in the epidermis of leaves and stems that allow gas
exchange.

GUARD CELLS – surround the opening and function to open or close it.

TRANSPIRATION – is the loss of water from the leaves by evaporation. It

accounts for more than 90% of water taken up by the roots.

Roots Systems

DICOT

The primary roots grows straight down; called a TAPROOT

TAPROOTS- are often fleshy and store food; (ex: carrots, beets,
turnips,radishes)

MONOCOT

Fibrous root system, no main root

ADVENTITIOUS ROOTS – new roots that arise from an aboveground structure;

(ex: prop roots on corn)

BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE

The two names used in this system are the GENUS and SPECIES.

GENUS – name is always first and capitalized.

SPECIES - is a second and not capitalized.

CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS BY LIFE CYCLE

ANNUALS – are plants that can go through their entire life cycle, from seed
germination to seed production and death, in ONE GROWING SEASON.

BIENNIALS – are plants with a two- year growing cycle.

The first year includes germination, leaf, root, compact-stem and stored-
food production. The plant lives through WINTER.

The second year it forms a vertical stem, flowers, fruits and seeds. Then
the plant DIES.

PERENNIALS – are plants that live for many years, forming flowers and seeds
each year. The above – ground parts may die back during winter and re-grow
in spring from the roots.

SEED PLANTS:

Gymnosperms

These include cycads, ginkgo, gnetophytes, and conifers.

Gymnosperms have naked seeds. The seeds of angiosperms are contained within
a fruit.

Angiosperms

-are flowering plants. They are the largest group of plants.

The seeds of angiosperms are covered by a fruit.

- the flowers of many species attract animal pollinators which carry pollen
to other individuals of the same species.

Flower

flower parts are modified leaves. They develop within a bud.

Flower parts evolved as modified leaves attached to a stem tip called a

receptacle.

Monocots have flower parts in multiple of threes; Dicot parts are in

multiplies of fours or fives.

SEPALS

Protect developing bud.

PETALS

The large colorful petals of many flowers function to attract pollinators.

STAMENS

Composed of an anther and a filament.

Plant Morphology

The Parts of a Flower

Peduncle: The stalk of a flower.

Receptacle: The part of a flower stalk where the parts of the flower are
attached.

Sepal: The outer parts of the flower (often green and leaf-like) that
enclose a developing bud.

Petal: The parts of a flower that are often conspicuously colored.

Stamen: The pollen producing part of a flower, usually with a slender

filament supporting the anther.

Anther: The part of the stamen where pollen is produced.

Pistil: The ovule producing part of a flower. The ovary often supports a
long style, topped by a stigma. The mature ovary is a fruit, and the mature
ovule is a seed.

Stigma: The part of the pistil where pollen germinates.

Ovary: The enlarged basal portion of the pistil where ovules are produced.

Tissue Culture

Plant tissue is grown on culture medium and treated with hormones to

stimulate the cells to grow into plants.

PLANT NUTRITION AND TRANSPORT

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

Most abundant elements in organism: C,H,O = 96%

MINERAL ELEMENTS

In addition, to C,H,O there are thirteen essential inorganic substances

needed by plants in ionized form (“mineral ions”).

MICRONUTRIENTS

- Are each at least 0.1% of dry weight.

- Are required in trace amounts. They compose a few parts per million of a
plants dry weight.

FUNCTION OF MINERAL IONS:

-metabolic activities

They cause TURGOR PRESSURE due to osmosis.

NITROGEN FIXATION

- nitrogen fixation is carried out by microorganisms.

Many of these microbes live symbiotically in the nodules of the roots of

legumes.

UPTAKE OF WATER AND MINERALS

*MOST water enters through roots hairs: may also diffuse through cell
walls, but must eventually enter cells due to Casparian strip.

Water uptake requires an osmotic gradient.

Solutes, especially mineral ions, are actively pumped into cells by

membrane pumps that use ATP.

PLANT HORMONE

HORMONE- a signaling molecule released by one cell and transported to

target cells (usually non-adjacent). The target cell contains receptor
site.

HORMONE THAT PROMOTE GROWTH

GIBBERLLINS- promote growth

Induce seeds of some grasses to germinate

Can stimulate flowering in mature plants.

AUXINS

promotes growth by stimulating cell elongation.

Auxin inhibits the growth of lateral buds.

Inhibits roots.

Production by seeds stimulates fruit growth.

The lack of auxin results in abscission of the flower.

Cytokinins

- stimulate cell division

Oppose auxin

- prevents leaf senescence

HORMONES THAT INHIBIT GROWTH

ETHYLENE- produced by ripening fruits, accelerates ripening of nearby

fruits

Stimulate senescence and abscission in leaves and fruits

ABSCISSIC ACID (ABA)

Stress hormone=> protects plants

Growth Inhibitor=> counteracts growth hormones

Accelerates abscission (dropping of leaves)