Parts of a flowering plant

The root system

The parts below the ground make the root system. There are basically two types of root
systems. Namely;

1. Tap root system

A tap root has one big root which grows vertically into the soil. It has side roots which
are smaller than the big root.

tap root
-The tap root grow directly from the radical of the germinating embryo. It has root hairs
and a root cap. The root hairs absorb water and minerals from the soil.

-The root cap protects the roots from damage as they grow into the soil.

-This type of root is a characteristic of dicotyledonous plants such as beans, ground nuts
and soya beans.

2. Fibrous root system

Fibrous roots also grow from a radical of a seed embryo. These are mainly small roots
and have the same size.

This type of root system is a characteristic of monocotyledonous plants especially cereal

types such as millet, maize, rice, sorghum, wheat and barley.
Types of roots.

a) Adventitious roots.
These are the types of roots which develop from other parts of a plant rather than the
radical. Adventitious roots may develop from the stem, branch or leaves.

Adventitious roots include; buttress roots, aerial roots, prop roots and clasping roots.

These roots develop from the nodes of creeping stems and rhizomes.

These roots grow from the part of the stem that is close to the ground .

They provide support to the plant. For example onions and garlic plants.
i. Prop roots

These roots develop from the nodes near the ground on a flowering plant.
-The main function of these roots is to give extra support to the plant at flowering stage.
-Examples of plants with prop roots include; maize, millet, sugarcane and sorghum.

ii. Aerial roots

These are long thread roots which grow from the stem or leaf tissue of big trees. They
absorb moisture from the atmosphere and take it I for plant use. Examples of plants with
such roots are the fig trees.
iii. Clasping roots
These roots enable the plant to climb by growing around it. These roots grow on
parasitic plants.

iv. Buttress roots

These types of roots commonly grow on big trees. They grow from the part of the stem
close to the ground and they provide extra support to the plant.
b) Breathing roots

These roots grow upwards the ground to get fresh air. They act as breathing organs.
They are common in plants growing in water logged areas such as swamps. This is
because soil with a lot of water does not have enough air. For example, mangrove.
The shoot system
The shoot system comprises of parts of a flowering plant above the ground. These parts
include the; stem, leaves, flowers, fruits, branches and terminal bud.

1. The stem.
The stem is the biggest part of the shoot system of a flowering plant. It holds all the rest
of the parts of the plant above the ground.

Types of stems.

i) Upright stems
These stems grow up in space above the ground. Examples of plants
with such stems include; paw paws, mangoes, sorghum, sugarcane,
maize e.t.c
-Under ground stem.

These are stems that are found below the soil. The under ground stems have buds which
grow into shoots. There are four kinds of underground stems, namely; stem tubers,
rhizomes, bulbs and corms.

stem tubers rhizomes bulbs corms

a) Stem tubers
These are crops with underground swollen stems which store food. Thses stems aer
usually eaten as food. Examples of plants with such stems include; yams and irish
potatoes.
b) Rhizomes
These commonly grow horizontally under the ground with stored food. Examples
include; ginger and turmeric.

c) Bulbs
Bulbs store their food in the fleshy leaves. They have small stems with lateral or axillary
buds for example, onion and garlic plants.

d) Corms.
These are under ground stems which store food.

ii) Climbing stems.

These are weak stems of plants that can not support themselves upright. They climb
other plants for support in order to get light. They use tendrils, hooks and others twine
to climb others.

Examples are; passion fruits, yams and cowpeas.

 Climbing plant
iv. Creeping stems or runners
These are stems which grow horizontally on the surface of the soil. Examples of plants
with such stems include; pumpkins, sweet potatoes and water melons.
Uses of plant stems to man.
 Man gets wood for timber to make furniture from the stems.
 Some plant stems are harvested to provide wood fuel.
 Some stems are food to people.
 Some plant stems are used as herbal medicine.
 Some plant stems are used for propagation. For example cassava, sugarcanes ete.