PETIT SEMINAIRE HIGHER SEC SCHOOL- PUDUCHERRY

SCIENCE NOTES: LESSON-8 PLANTS

A. Choose the correct option.

1. Which plant does not have a weak stem?

a. Watermelon b. Bottle gourd c. Grapevine d. Mustard
2. Which of the following has a modified root?
a. Sugarcane b. Sweet potato c. Potato d. Ginger
3. Which of the following is not a function of the lear?
a. Preparation of food for the plant
b. Conduction of water and minerals from roots to all parts of the plant
c. Modification into pitcher-like structures to capture plants
d. Storage of food
4.________ is the point on the stem where a leaf or branch arises.
a. Pedicel b. Petiole c. Node. d. Internode
5._________carries fine powdery particles called pollens.
a. Filament b. Anther c. Stigma d.Style
B. Fill in the blanks:
1. Banyan tree has additional roots called prop roots.
2. Internode is the region between the two nodes.
3. Ovary is the reproductive organ of a flowering plant.
4. Pedicel is the thin stalk by which a flower is attached to the stem.
5. After pollination, the flower changes into the fruit.
C . State whether the following statements are true or false. Correct the false statement
1. The flat, green part of the leaf is the leaf lamina.True.
2. In gloriosa lily, leaves are modified into tendrils. True.
3. Insectivorous plants can prepare their own food as they have chlorophyll. True.
4. All plants have flowers.False.
All plants do not have flowers.
5. Petals are green in colour. False.
Sepals are green in colour.
D. Give reasons for each of the following.
1. Mangrove plants have breathing roots.
Mangrove plants grow in wet, salty areas in the coastal regions. Soil in such regions has very
little oxygen. Thus, these plants have special roots called breathing roots.
2. Some plants such as rose and lemon have thorns on their stems.
The thorns seen on the stems of rose and lemon protect the plant from predators.
3. Most plants have green leaves.
Leaves prepare their food by the process of photosynthesis. And chlorophyll in the leaves plays a vital role,
so most plants have green leaves.
4. Leaves in a cactus are reduced to spines.
In plants such as cactus, leaves are modified into sharp, pointed structures known as spines. They protect
the plants from the being eaten by the animals. Spines also reduce the rate of transpiration.
5. Most plants have bright flowers.
Most flowering plants have bright, attractive flowers to attract insects like honey bees, bumble bees,
butterflies and moths, which help in pollination.

E. Name the following.

1. Plants that have very weak stems that grow along the ground. Creepers

2. Bud present at the tip of the plant. Apical or terminal bud

3. Leaves modified to thread-like coiled structures in weak-stemmed plants. Tendrils

4. A tube-like structure in the centre of the leaf. Midrib

5. Female reproductive part of a flower. Pistil

F. Answer the following questions in one word or a sentence.

1.Why does the banyan tree have prop roots?

The prop roots of banyan tree are produced from the upper parts of the stem. They grow downwards and
penetrate into the soil to provide extra support to the tree.
2. Write an important function of the root.
The roots of plants absorbs water and mineral from the soil.
3. How does the exchange of gases take place in leaves?
Through the stomata.
4. Define transpiration.
The loss of water from the aerial parts of the plant in the form of water vapour is called transpiration.
5. What are sepals?
Sepals are the outermost layer of a flower and are green in colour. They protect the flower when they are
in the bud stage.

G. Answer the following questions in brief.

1. Write any three functions of the stem.
1) Stem provides support to different parts of the plant and holds the plant upright.
2) It helps branches and leaves to spread out.
3) It transports water and minerals from roots to leaves.
2. What is the difference between apical and axillary bud?
If the bud is at the end or apex of the plant, it is known as apical or terminal bud. If the bud is present at the
nodes, it is known as axillary or lateral bud.
3. What helps the grapevine and gloriosa lily to grow upwards?
Stem tendrils in grapevine and leaf tendrils in gloriosa lily, whenever comes in contact with an object, coil
around it for support and climb up.
4. What are insectivorous plants? Give an example.
Insectivorous plants grow in regions where the soil is deficient in nitrogen. To overcome this
deficiency, they develop mechanisms to trap insects and absorb the nitrogen content from their bodies.
Example: pitcher plants
5. Differentiate between self and cross-pollination.

Self pollination Cross-pollination

When pollens fall on the stigma of the same When the pollens fall on the stigma of another
flower or another flower of the same plant, it flower on another plant, it is called cross-
is called self-pollination. pollination.

H. Answer the Following questions in detail.

1. With the help of neatly labelled diagrams, describe the two types of root systems in plants.
Tap root:
1. Tap root is a single main root that grows vertically downwards into the soil.
2. It helps the plant to obtain water from deeper sources.
3. It is also called the main root or primary root.
4. It gives out several branches called lateral roots or secondary roots.
Example:mango and mustard etc

Fibrous root:
1) The fibrous root does not have a single main root.
2) It develops as a cluster of thin fibre-like roots from just below the stem.
3) They spread out in the soil giving support to the plant.
4) They do not grow very deep into the soil.
Example:maize,wheat etc
2. How will you find the presence of starch in a plant? Write the steps.

Steps to find the presence of starch in a plant:

1. Take a potted plant and keep it in the dark for 24 hours.

2. Select a leaf and cover a part of it with a piece a of black tape and keep the potted plant under sunlight
for 6 hours.
3. Pluck the leaf and remove the black tape, now place the leaf in a test tube. and pour spirit to the test
tube to completely immerse the leaf.
4. Place the test tube in a beaker half-filled with water. Heat the beaker till all the green colour from the
leaf disappears.
5. Take the leaf out of the test tube carefully. Wash the leaf in water.
6. Place the leaf on a glass slide and pour some drops of iodine solution on it.
7. Now we could observe that the leaf covered with black paper did not receive any sunlight and could
not prepare food so the leaf does not show any blue-black colour when iodine solution is poured over
it.
8. But the other leaf that was exposed to sunlight prepared food and stores it form of starch. This leaf
shows blue-black colour when iodine solution is poured over it.

3. Describe the different stem modifications seen in plants.

The various stem modifications are as follows:

1.Food storing stems:
➢ In some plants the stems grow underground and are modified to store excess food, which helps
them to survive in unfavourable conditions.
➢ These are consumed as vegetables.
Examples: potato, turmeric and ginger.
2.Provide support:
➢ Plants with weak stems have thread like, spirally coiled structures called tendrils.
➢ The tendrils wrap themselves around nearby objects and provide support to the plant.
Examples: grapevine, cucumber and sweet pea
3.Modified to store water and prepare food:
➢ Plants that grow in deserts have thick, green, fleshy stem that prepares food and stores water for
the plant.
➢ The leaves are reduced to spines to prevent loss of water and protect the plant.
Example: cactus.
4.For protection:
➢ A few plants have thorn-like structures on their stems to prevent the plants from predators.
➢ They also reduce the loss of water.
Examples: rose, lemon and bougainvillea

4. What are the different parts of a leaf? Explain with a diagram.

The main parts of are leaf lamina or leaf blade,midrib, veins and petiole.
1.Leaf lamina or leaf blade
➢ The flat, green portion of the leaf is called the leaf lamina or leaf blade.
➢ Photosynthesis takes place in this portion.
2.Midrib
➢ A tube-like structure in the centre of the leaf is called the midrib.
➢ It extends from the petiole till the tip of the leaf.
3.Veins
➢ Thin lines that arise from midrib and run across the leaf in various directions are called the veins.
➢ These veins provide support to the leaf and transport water, minerals and food to and from the leaf.
4.Petiole
➢ Leaves are attached to the stem by a small stalk called petiole
5. Explain the structure of a flower with the help of a neatly labelled diagram.
The main parts of a flower are sepal, petals, stamen and pistil.
1.Sepal:
➢ It is the outermost layer of the flower that is green in colour.
➢ it protects the flower
2.Petal:
➢ The bright coloured part of the flower is called petals
➢ It protects the inner structures of a flower and attracts
insects for pollination
3.Stamen:
➢ The male reproductive part of flower.
➢ It includes filament and anther.
Anther:Anther is the head of stamen which produces pollen grains which is yellow in colour.
Filament:Filament is a long slender structure that supports the anther
4.Pistil:
➢ The female reproductive part of flower.
➢ It includes stigma, style and ovary.
Stigma:Stigma is found at the tip of style it contains sticky substance which holds onto the pollen
grains during pollination.
Style:Style is a long thin tube-like structure that holds the stigma
Ovary:Ovary is the swollen base of pistil which contains ovules (egg cells).