BOTANY

(Study of Plants)
 Monocots
(single cotyledon or seed leaf)
• Leaves have parallel venation.

• Flower parts are usually in multiples of three.

• Do not typically produce wood.

• Examples include: grasses, corn, sedges, cat-

tails, lilies, orchids, bananas, and palms.
 Dicots
(two cotyledons or seed leaves)
• Leaves have net-venation.

• Flower parts are mostly in multiples of four or

five.

• Wood is produced by long-lived dicots.

• Examples include: roses, carrots, elms, magnolias,

buttercups, apples, and sunflowers.
• In monocotyledonous plants, the primary root is
short lived and is replaced by a large number of
roots.
• These roots originate from the base of the stem
and constitute the fibrous root system, as seen in
the wheat plant

• In some plants, like grass, roots arise from parts of

the plant other than the radicle and are called
adventitious roots
• In dicotyledonous plants, the direct elongation
of the radicle leads to the formation of primary
root which grows inside the soil.

• It bears lateral roots of several orders that are

referred to as secondary, tertiary, etc. roots.
Some stems are also
modified for the storage
of food.
Their leaves are often
reduced to scales and
they usually bear
adventitious roots and
buds.
Tubers such as the Irish
potato are fleshy, solid,
underground and
horizontal stems with
thick skins.
Aerial stems are the most common and can be erect or prostrate.
Stems that trail along the surface of the soil, sending up new erect
stems at nodes or tip, are called stolons or runners.

MANDUKPARNI
 Rhizomes are creeping, usually underground,
horizontal persistent stems that produce new upright
stems at their tips
 Stem Characteristics
• Node—the position on a
stem where a leaf or bud is
or was attached.
• Internode—the portion of
a stem between two
nodes.
• Lenticel—a pore which
allows gas exchange; often
raised; variable size.
• Leaves on woody perennials may be deciduous
or evergreen.

• Deciduous means leaves are shed during

unfavorable conditions (such as at the end of
each growing season).

• Plants that are evergreen bear green foliage all

year. They do lose older leaves over time, but
not all at one time
LEAF
1. Simple Leaf: One Blade
2. Compound Leaf: Blade Divided Into Leaflets

A. Palmately Compound (Digitate): No Rachis

B. Pinnately Compound (Pinnate): With A Rachis
C. Pinnately and Palmately Trifoliate
D. Twice Pinnately Compound (Bipinnate)

8. Leaf Margins
 3. Leaf Arrangement (Phyllotaxy)

Leaves occur on the stems in alternate (one leaf per node),

opposite (two leaves per node), or whorled arrangements (three
or more leaves per node).
Alternate- Neem WHORLED- Saptaparna
4. Leaf Venation
5. Leaf Shapes
5. Leaf Shapes
 CORDATE LEAF

MANJISTHA- Rubia cordifolia

GUDUCHI- Tinospora cordifolia,
 Leaf shape
• Linear—long and narrow with the sides parallel (>4:1).

• Lanceolate—spear-shaped; widening above base and then long tapering

to apex (3-4:1).
• Spatulate—spoon-shaped and attached at the narrow end.

• Ovate—egg-shaped; broad nearest base (<3:1).

• Obovate—ovate, but with narrower end towards point of attachment.

(The prefix “ob” means opposite, so “obovate” is the opposite of “ovate.”)
Elliptic—ellipse shaped; widest near middle and tapering at both
ends.

Rhomboid—parallelogram with oblique angles and only the opposite

sides equal.

Deltoid—triangular.

Orbicular—circular.

Reniform—kidney bean shaped.

6. Leaf Apices
7. Leaf Bases
8. Leaf Margins
 Leaf Margins
• Entire—a margin without any
toothing or division (smooth).

• Crenate—scalloped or round-
toothed.

• Serrate—a saw-toothed margin

with sharp teeth pointing towards
the apex.

• Dentate—sharp teeth projecting at

right angles from the margin.

• Pinnately lobed—lobed towards

the midrib but not reaching it.

• Palmately lobed— lobes all arising

from one point at the base of the
leaf.
 9. Leaf Surfaces
• Glaucous: smooth surface-
• Covered with a whitish powder or waxy coating.
• Viscid (Viscous): Covered with sticky or resinous secretion.
• Glutinous: About the same as viscid.
• Punctate: Dotted with minute pits or translucent dots.
• Papillate (Papillose): Bearing minute, pimplelike protuberances.
• Rugose: Wrinkled--typical leaves of the mint family (Lamiaceae)
• Glabrous: Without hairs of any kind. Eg Guduchi
• Pubescent: With a hairy surface--there are many kinds of
hairiness. Eg. Vridhadaruk
FLOWER
 Flowers
• The sepals are the outermost parts of a flower; are
commonly green;
• Collectively, the sepals are called the calyx.

• The petals are positioned inward from the sepals

and are commonly colored and delicate in texture.
Collectively, the petals are called the corolla.

• Sepals and petals together are called the perianth.

• In some plants, the sepals and petals cannot be

determined, and the perianth parts are then called
tepals.
• The stamens are the
“male” reproductive
parts of the flower.

• A stamen usually
consists of the anther,
which contains the
pollen, and a stalk called
the filament.

• Collectively, the stamens

are called the
androecium.
 Carpel
• The carpel occupies the central
position in a flower and is the
“female” reproductive part.
• It consists of a terminal stigma,
which is often sticky, the function
of which is to receive the pollen;
• a slender style; and, at the base,
an ovary, which contains one or
more ovules.
• The ovules, once fertilized, develop
into seeds.
• Collectively, all the carpels in one
flower are called the gynoecium.
• When a flower has both androecium and
gynoecium, it is bisexual.

• A flower having either only stamens or only

carpels is unisexual
Shapes Of Flowers
Aestivation: The mode of arrangement of sepals or petals in floral bud with respect to
the other members of the same whorl is known as aestivation

• The main types of aestivation are valvate, twisted, imbricate and vexillary .

• When sepals or petals in a whorl just touch one another at the margin, without
overlapping, as in Calotropis, it is said to be valvate.

• If one margin of the appendage overlaps that of the next one and so on as in
china rose, lady’s finger and cotton, it is called twisted.

• If the margins of sepals or petals overlap one another but not in any particular
direction as in Cassia and gulmohur, the aestivation is called imbricate.

• In pea and bean flowers, there are five petals, the largest (standard) overlaps
the two lateral petals (wings) which in turn overlap the two smallest anterior
petals (keel); this type of aestivation is known as vexillary or papilionaceous
 INFLORESCENCE
A flower inflorescence is simply the arrangement of
flowers on a floral axis; basically a cluster of
flowers.
 Parts of an Inflorescence

• Peduncle—the stalk of an inflorescence or a solitary flower.

• Pedicel—the stalk of one flower in an inflorescence.

•
• Rachis—the primary axis of an elongated inflorescence.

• Bracts—a modified or much-reduced leaf associated with

an inflorescence or flower. These may differ substantially
from foliage leaves.

• Involucre—a series of bracts immediately subtending a

flower or inflorescence.
Parts of Inflorescence
 Types of Inflorescences
1.Racemose type .

2. Cymose type

3. Special inflorescence
1. Racemose type of inflorescence
• The main axis continues to grow.

• The flowers are arranged in acropetal

succession, i.e older flowers are at the base
and the younger flowers are at the tip
 Racemose inflorescence
• 1. Raceme: Unbranched inflorescence with flowers on pedicels.
• 2. Spike: Unbranched inflorescence with sessile flowers (no pedicels).
• 3.Catkin or Ament: It is spike with long and pendulous axis which bears
unisexual flowers.
• 4. Spadix: Type ofspike inflorescence with fleshy axis, which is
enclosed by one more large brightly coloured bracts called spathes.

• 5.Corymb: Flat-topped inflorescence with youngest flowers at the end

of main axis or rachis.
• 6.Umbel: Flat-topped inflorescence with all the pedicels arising from a
common point. [Includes simple and compound umbels.]

• 7. Panicle: A branched or compound raceme (i.e. main rachis with

branches bearing flowers on pedicels).
1. Raceme: Unbranched inflorescence with flowers on pedicels.

Mulaka
2. Spike: Unbranched inflorescence with sessile flowers (no
pedicels).

Spike inflorescence- Apamarga

3.Catkin or Ament: It is spike with long and pendulous axis which bears
unisexual flowers.
4. Spadix: A thick, fleshy spike of unisexual, apetalous flowers,
often surrounded by a vase-shaped or funnel-like modified leaf
or spathe which is often brightly colored.
PUGA
 5.Corymb: Flat-topped inflorescence with youngest flowers at
the end of main axis or rachis. Lower flowers have much longer
stalks than the upper ones, so that all the flowers are bought
more or less to the same level. Eg. Agnimantha
Capitulum (Head): A short, dense inflorescence of sessile flowers
attached to a common receptacle. This is the characteristic inflorescence
of the sunflower family (Asteraceae).
6.Umbel: Flat-topped inflorescence with all the pedicels arising from a
common point.
[Includes simple and compound umbels.]
Umbel inflorecence- Mandukparni
Compound umbel inflorescence

Shatahwa
7. Panicle: A branched or compound raceme (i.e. main rachis
with branches bearing flowers on pedicels).Mango/Amra

Mango/Amra
• Panicle—similar to a raceme but greatly branched.

• Raceme—stalked flowers arranged along an elongate central axis.

• Spike—sessile flowers arranged along an elongate central axis.

•
• Corymb—short, broad, and flat-topped.

• Simple umbel—several branches radiatin from the same point and terminated by single flowers.

• Compound umbel—same as above with additional secondary umbels.

• Head (capitulum)—a compact inflorescence composed of a very short axis and usually sessile flowers;
characteristic of sunflower family. (Illustrated
 2.Cymose type of inflorescence
• The main axis terminates in a flower

• The flowers are arranged in basipetal

succession i.e older flowers are at the top and
the younger flowers are at the base
Cyme: Flat-topped inflorescence with oldest flowers at the
end of main axis.
FRUITS
 Fruit- A fruit is the ripened ovary of a
flower, and a seed is the matured ovule.
 FRUIT
1. False fruit- which develops from other floral part except ovary.
Eg Apple developed from thalamus

2. True fruit- which develops after fertilization of ovary

1. Simple Fruit
A. Fleshy fruit- Berry, Pome, Drupe Pepo, Hesparidium

B. Dry fruit- Dehiscent fruit ( Follicle, Legume, Siliqua, Silicula, Capsule)

Indehiscent fruit (Achene, Caryopsis, Cypsela, Nut, Samara)
Schizocarp fruit (Lomentum, Cremocarp, Carcerulus, Regma, Double samara)

2. Aggregate Fruit

3. Compound Fruit
Carpel: Leaf-like megasporophyll
bearing one or more ovules on the
inner surface.

In dehiscent dry fruits that split

open, carpels are represented by
the seed-bearing sections.

Carpels are difficult to distinguish

in dry, indehiscent fruits (e.g. nuts)
and fleshy fruits (e.g. berries).

Carpels are the innermost parts of

a complete flower and they are
united to form the gynoecium
(pistil).
D. Fleshy Fruits- Berry, Pome, Drupe
Pepo, Hesparidium
(Pericarp is Fleshy At Maturity)
 1. Berry: All or most of pericarp
fleshy.

Berry—an indehiscent, fleshy fruit with few to many seeds (rarely one seed);
carpels variable. Examples: tomatoes, bananas, grapes, blueberries, kiwis,
peppers, eggplants, cranberries, and avocados.
 1. Berry

Kakmachi Ashvagandha
2. Pepo: Berry with hard, thick rind.
Pepo: Berry with hard, thick rind.

Koshtaki/ Kushmanda
Kritavedhana
3. Hesperidium: Berry with a leathery
rind.
 4. Drupe: Seed enclosed within a
stony endocarp (pit).

Drupe and drupelet— indehiscent; fleshy but with a stone or pit inside,
differentiated into epicarp, msocarp and endocarp.
5. Pome: Afleshy fruit surrounded by
the thalamus.
Dehiscent Dry Fruits-( Follicle, Legume,
Siliqua, Silicula, Capsule)

(Split Open At Maturity)

 1. Legume or Pod: Composed of one
carpel.

Legume—(Pea Family) Fabaceae; dry pod splitting along two sutures.

Examples: beans, peas.
Legume or Pod: Composed of one
carpel.

Masaparni
 2. Capsule: Composed of several
fused carpels.

Capsule—a dry fruit, but derived from a compound carpel and usually with
several areas of dehiscence. Contains few to many seeds.
 3.Follicle: One carpel that splits along
one seam.

Follicle—a dry fruit derived from a simple carpel and opening by one slit.
Example: milkweed.
 Follicle

ARKA GUNJA
4. Silique: Two carpels separated by a
seed-bearing septum.
5. Silicula: A much shorter and
flattened siliqua.
Utricle: Small, bladder like, thin-
walled indehiscent fruit.
Indehiscent Dry Fruits -(Achene,
Caryopsis, Cypsela, Nut, Samara)

(Do Not Split Open At Maturity)

 1. Achene: Small, one-seeded fruit;
pericarp free from seed coat.

Achene—a dry, one-seeded fruit with the seed attached at one point to the
fruit wall. Example: sunflower.
2. Cypsela: one-seeded fruit,
pericarp and seed coat free.
3. Grain (Caryopsis): One-seeded fruit;
pericarp fused with seed coat.
4. Samara: One-seeded, winged
achene.
5. Nut: One-seeded fruit with hard
pericarp.
Nut—large, single, dry, one-
seeded fruit with a hard shell.
Examples: acorn, chestnut and
hazelnut
Schizocarp: (Lomentum, Cremocarp,
Carcerulus, Regma, Double samara)
1.Lomentum: the fruit is constricted between seeds.
At maturity the fruit dehisces on the sutures into
many mericarps.
Babool
Shirisha
 2.Cremocarp: the fruit split into two pieces called
mericarp which remain attached to central stalk called
carphophore. One seed in each chamber.
Seen in Umbelliferae family.
3. Carcerulus: the fruit grow from many carpels and
breaks into nutlets on maturity as in Labiatae and
Malvaceae.
4. Regma: the fruit split at maturity into 3 cocci.

Eranda
Aggregate Fruit: Many ovaries derived
from a single flower.
Multiple Fruit: Many ovaries derived
from many individual flowers.
• The fruit of Malvaceae is capsule.
• The fruit of Cruciferae is siliqua.
• The fruit of Gramineae is caryopsis.
• The fruit of Compositae is Cypsela
• The fruit of Umbelliferae is Cremocarp
• The fruit of Labiatae and Malvaceae.
• is Carcerulus