Morphology of Plants Flashcards
Root System?
The main branches and its lateral branches form the root system.
Roots are
Positively Geotropic & Negatively Phototropic.
Tap Root system is present in
Dicots.
Fibrous root system is present in,
Monocots.
Adventitious root system:
these develop from any parts of plant except radicle, e.g. Grass, Monstera, Banyan Tree.
Functions of root:
1) Absorption of water and minerals.
2) Provide anchorage to plant parts.
3) Storage of reserve food material.
4) Synthesis of plant growth regulators.
Regions of the Root?
i) Root Cap
ii) Region of meristematic activity
iii) Region of elongation
iv) Region of maturation.
Root Cap:
The apex of the root is covered by thimble like str. cld Root Cap, Multicellular. Formed of Parenchymatous Cells, Protects the tender apex.
Region of meristematic activity :?
Few mms above root cap, Cells are thin-walled, small, dense cytoplasm, Divide repeatedly to form new cells.
Region of elongation ?
proximal to meristematic region, undergo rapid elongation and enlargement & are responsible for growth of roots in length.
Region of maturation. ?
Cell Elongation zone gradually differentiates and mature. This is proximal to region of elongation.
Root Hair?
some epidermal cells from the region of maturation form very fine and delicate thread like structures called root hair.
Function of Root Hair?
Increase the surface area for absorption of water and minerals from the soil.
Storage Roots
Primary tap root is modified to store food and assumes various shapes.
Examples of Storage Roots
Tap root of Carrot, turnip, radish, beet and adventitious roots of sweet potato get swollen and store food.
Respiratory Roots
in swampy areas many roots come out of the ground vertically upwards to get oxygen for respiration. Called Pneumatophores.
Pneumatophores present in:
Rhizophora, Maangrove
Prop roots:
arise from branches of stem for providing mechanical support to heavy branches, e.g. Banyan Tree.
Banyan Tree scientific name
Ficus benghalensis
Stilt roots: ?
arise from lower nodes of stem to support main axis and enter soil obliquely, e.g. Sugarcane, Maize.
What gives rise to the stem?
The plumule of the embryo present in the germinating seed gives rise to the stem.
The region bearing leaves, present at regular intervals on the stem and its branches are called
Nodes
Part of stem present bw two nodes:
Internode.
A bud:
Young, Immature, under developed, compact shoot.
i) Terminal Bud
ii) Axillary Bud
Terminal Bud?
Present at the tip of the stem. aka apical bud.
Axillary bud?
The angle made bw the leaves and the upper part of the stem is called AXIL. The bud present at the AXIL, is called Axillary Bud.
Functions Of stem:
i) Bears and supports leaves, flowers and fruits.
ii) Conducts water and minerals salts from roots to leaves and fruits.
iii) Transport of Food.
Types of Underground stem:
i) Rhizome
ii) Tuber
iii) Corm
iv) Bulb
Modifications of stem:
- Underground Stem
i) Rhizome
ii) Tuber
iii) Corm
iv) Bulb - Stem Tendrils
- Thorn
- Sub-Aerial Weak Stem
i) Offsets
ii) Suckers
iii) Runners
iv) Stolons - Aerial Stem
- Cladode
Rhizome?
Grows parallel or horizontal to soil surface. Bears nodes, internodes, buds and scaly leaves. E.G. GINGER, BANANA, TURMERIC, FERNS.
Tuber?
Terminal portion of underground stem branch, swollen w food. e.g. Potato, Helianthus tuberosus ( jerusalem artichoke)
Corm?
grows vertically beneath the soil surface, usually unbranched, bears nodes, internodes, buds and scale leaves, e.g. Colocasia, Gladiolus, Colchicum, Crocus, Amorphophallus (Zaminkand)
Bulb? (underground stem)
stem is reduced and disc shaped, the bud is surrounded by many concentric scale leaves. leaf bases of inner ones are fleshy and edible, and of outer ones are dry. E.G. Onion, Lily, Garlic.
Stem tendrils?
Axillary buds modify to form tendrils. Long, thin, thread like spirally coiled, sensitive strcs, GRAPE VINE, GOURDS ( pumpkin, watermelon, cucumber)
THORNS?
Axillary buds lose their ability to grow and form hard, woody, and pointed structures called thorns. Protective function, e.g. Citrus & Bougainvillea
Offset? (sub aerial weak stem)
lateral branch which bear short internodes, the distance bw two nodes decreases and each node bears a rosette of leaves above and a cluster (tuft) of roots below, E.G. Pistia and Eichhornia
Suckers (sub aerial weak stem)
The lateral branches originate from the basal & underground portion of the main stem. they grow below the surface of the soil to some distance and then emerges out obliquely to form aerial root. e.g. Banana, Pineapple, Chrysanthemum
Runners (sub aerial weak stem)
elongated, prostrate branch with long internodes and roots at nodes, e.g. grasses, Oxalis etc.
Stolons (sub aerial weak stem)
slender lateral branch arises from the base of the main axis and after growing aerially for some time arch downwards to touch the ground. JASMINE & MINT.
Aerial Stem
Stem modified into flattened (Opuntia) or fleshy cylindrical structures (Euphorbia) called Phylloclade. Photosynthetic.
Cladode?
Stem modified into a leaf like str. for photosynthesis, while leaves reduced to scales or spines e.g. Asparagus, Ruscus
Most important vegetative organ for photosynthesis
Leaves
What are the part of leaves
Leaf Base
Petiole
Lamina or Leaf Blade
Leaf base may bear two lateral small leaf like structures called
Stipules
In _______ leaf base expands to form a sheath covering the stem wholly or partially.
Monocots
In some leguminous plants, the leaf base swells and is called
Pulvinus
Petiole enables leaves to flutter in the wind which allows
produces a cooling effect in the leaves by bringing fresh air to the leaf surface
The prominent vein present in the middle of the leaf blade?
Midrib
Functions of veins on the lamina?
Provide rigidity & strength to the leaf blade, act as a channel to transport water, minerals & food.
Reticulate Venation
veinlets form a network; generally in dicots, e.g. Peepal, hibiscus, Luffa etc
Parallel venation
generally in monocots, e.g. banana
Types of leaves?
Simple Leaf
Compound Leaf - Pinnately Compound leaf & Palmately compounded leaf.
What are simple leaves?
in which the leaf blade is not divided or when incised, the incision do not touch the midrib. It has bud at the axil of the petiole.
What are compound leaves?
in which the leaf blade is completely broken into different leaflets. incisions reach the midrib. contains a bud at the axil of the petiole but is absent in the axil of leaflets.
Pinnately Compound leaf?
midrib forms a common axis called rachis, a number of leaflets are present on rachis, e.g. Neem.
Palmately Compound leaf?
leaflets are attached to a common point, at the tip of the petiole, the tip of the petiole bears all the leaflets in a bunch or cluster, e.g. silk cotton.
Phyllotaxy? `
The pattern in which the leaves are arranged on the stem or its branches.
Types of Phyllotaxy?
Alternate phyllotaxy; Opposite phyllotaxy; Whorled phyllotaxy.
Alternate phyllotaxy?
single leaf is present at each node in an alternate fashion. e.g. China rose (shoe flower), mustard, sunflower
Opposite phyllotaxy?
a pair of leaves arise at each node on opposite side, leaves lie opposite each other, e.g. Guava, Calotropis
Whorled phyllotaxy. ?
more than 2 leaves arise at each node and form a whorl, e.g. Alstonia, Nerium
Leaves are modified into :
- Leaf tendrils
- Leaf spines
- Storage organ
- Phyllodes
- pitcher like
Leaf tendrils?
long, slender, thread like, sensitive structures called tendrils, sensitive to touch. coil around a support & help climbing. provide support. e.g. Pea, sweet pea
Leaf spines?
leaves modify into small, sharp pointed, structures which reduce transpiration & protect plants from animals; e.g. Aloe, Cactus
leaves as storage organ?
fleshy leaves store food, e.g. onion, garlic
leaves into phyllodes?
the petioles modify to form flat, green coloured leaf like structure which performs photosynthesis. as leaves are short lived. e.g. Australian Acacia