Morphology Exam 1

Question 1

What is Plant Morphology?

Answer 1

The form and structure of a plant and any of its parts

Question 2

Why is plant morphology important?

Answer 2

Plant species and cultivars are identified by their differing morphological (anatomical) characteristics, i.e. leaf type, shape, and arrangement; flower type and structure; fruit type and arrangement; stem and bud types and their arrangements.
Particularly, the flower form and characteristics have been used to classify and name plants.

Question 3

What is a perfect flower?

Answer 3

A flower that has both male and female parts

Question 4

What is an imperfect flower?

Answer 4

A flower that has only male OR female parts

Question 5

What is a Corolla?

Answer 5

All the petals on a flower

Question 6

What is a calyx?

Answer 6

All the sepals of a flower

Question 7

What is a monoecious species?

Answer 7

A species with unisexual flowers. Both male and female flowers occur on the same plant, e.g. oaks.

Question 8

What is a dioecious species?

Answer 8

A species with unisexual flowers, but each sex of flowers is on a different plant, e.g. male and female hollies or kiwis.

Question 9

What is a stamen?

Answer 9

The male, pollen bearing organ containing the anther and filament

Question 10

What is a pistil?

Answer 10

The female seed producing organ, containing the stigma, style, and ovary.

Question 11

What is a campanulate flower shaped like?

Answer 11

Shaped like a bell

Question 12

What are the five parts of a papilionaceous flower?

Answer 12

Corolla includes 5 petals: 1 large upper petal (banner), enclosing 2 lateral petals (wings), and a lower carina of 2 united petals (keel)

Seen in the Pea Family

Question 13

What is an inflorescence?

Answer 13

A collection of individual flowers arranged in a specific fashion

Question 14

Spike flower?

Answer 14

Individual flower bases are attached directly to the peduncle without an attaching stem (sessile) in a spike-like format
(Culver’s Root)

Question 15

Panicle flower?

Answer 15

A modified raceme (modified spike with flowers attached to a pedicle which then attaches to the peduncle) with alternately or irregularly branched flowers

Also known as a branched raceme and assumes the shape of a cone

Question 16

Difference between umbel and corymb flower?

Answer 16

Umbel: all pedicels arise from one point and are equal in length, resulting in a rounded, umbrella-shaped inflorescence

Corymb: pedicels arise from different points on the peduncle and vary in length, but they all terminate at the same point, resulting in a flat-topped inflorescence

Question 17

What is a Salverform flower shaped like?

Answer 17

Has a long Corolla tube that suddenly flares into a flat Corolla face

(Purple Verbena)

Question 18

Are all fruits edible?

Answer 18

Yes! Horticulturally speaking, a fruit is a mature ovary that contains seeds and is consumed.
This includes culinary fruit entities and many things considered as vegetables!

Question 19

Is a pistachio a nut?

Question 20

Is a pistachio a fruit?

Answer 20

Yes, a drupe

Question 21

Is a green bean an example of a pod?

Answer 21

Yes

Question 22

What’s the difference between a drupe and a pome fruit?

Answer 22

Drupe: non-splitting fruit with a fleshy pericarp, divided into 3 layers: exocarp (skin), mesocarp (flesh), endocarp (stony seed covering) AKA STONEFRUIT

Pome: a fruit in which the pericarp is surrounded by the floral tube which becomes fleshy, e.g. apple, pear

Question 23

Describe the two basic leaf types.

Answer 23

Simple: comprised of 1 leaf blade and petiole emerging below a dormant bud (might see the stipule, or remnant of the bud scales)

Compound: one leads with multiple leaflets arranged on 1 petiole (note the petiolule, or stalk, that attaches the leaflet to the petiole, AKA the rachis when between leaflets)

Question 24

Bipinnately compound leaf?

Answer 24

These leaves have a secondary rachis, or rhachilla, attached to the primary rachis that bears leaflets, or pinnule. (Think a compound leaf, but the original leaflets are split into more leaflets. The pinnule are born off the secondary rachis only)

Question 25

Cordate vs reniform leaves?

Answer 25

Cordate: heart-shaped, acute apex

Reniform: kidney-shaped, simple, undivided, rounded apex with 2 lobes at base

Question 26

Cuneate leaf base?

Answer 26

Wedge or v-shaped

Question 27

Oblique vs truncate leaf base?

Answer 27

Oblique: Leaf base is not perpendicular to the petiole and slants. One half of the leaf is longer/larger than the other

Truncate: straight edge on leaf base, perpendicular to the petiole

Question 28

What does a dentate leaf margin look like?

Answer 28

Toothed margin where teeth are perpendicular to the leaf margin, or pointing away

Question 29

Acuminate vs cuspidate leaf apex?

Answer 29

Acuminate: apex with sides that are slightly concave and taper to a point

Cuspidate: apex is somewhat abruptly constructed to an elongated sharp tip point (obtuse but with a suddenly sharp tip)

Question 30

Crenate leaf margin?

Answer 30

Like dentate but rounded teeth

Question 31

What makes the nodal region important in a plant?

Answer 31

This is the region on the stem where the leaf is attached and the axillary bud may be present. It contains meristems and exhibits active growth

Question 32

What’s the difference between accessory buds and axiliary buds?

Answer 32

axiliary buds: these are at the node above the leaf scar and give rise to secondary branches

accessory buds: these are at the node but not centered; they might be on ether side of the axillary bud. It becomes superposed when it occurs above the axillary bus

Question 33

What is the main difference between a bulb and a corm?

Answer 33

A bulb is a modified stem that consisted of layers of modified leaves that surround a small shoot and flower. Has roots at the bottom to anchor the plan and absorb water and nutrients. (Tulip)

A corm is a modified stem but not a true bulb because it is solid and not composed of layers of leaves. It serves to store food.