Plant Anatomy and Morphology Flashcards
Cell wall
Provides cell structure, composed of fiber matrix and pectin, (woody) lignin. Surrounds cell membrane and functions as giving cell structure.
Cell membrane
Inside cell wall. Regulates what goes in and out of cell.
Central Vacuole
Membrane bound storage structure unique to plant cells. May occupy large volume of mature cell and contain water, pigments, waste, etc.
Turgor Pressure
Amount of h2o in vacuole controls support (rigid vs. wilted)
Plastids
Structure. Defined by contents and function. Proplastids, Leucoplasts, Amyloplasts, Chromoplasts, and Cholorplasts.
Proplastids
Undifferentiated. No function yet.
Leucoplasts
General storage
Amyloplasts
Stores starch
Chromoplasts
Contain pigments– carotenoids & anthocyanins
Choloroplasts
Fuction– PHOTOSYNTHESIS!
Tissues
Plant tissues are groups of cells arranged for specific functions. Dermal, vascular, and ground.
Dermal tissue
Outermost cell layers. Protection and regulation. tricomes, root hairs, and guard cells
Vascular tissue
For transport and support! Xylem and Phloem
Xylem
Moves water and soil nutrients (NPK) passively (NO ENERGY). Tracheids and Vessel elements– both dead at maturity/dead to function. inner part of vascular bundle.
Phloem
Moves food (sugar) actively (energy used to transport). Companion cells load and unload sugar from sieve tube members (nearly hollow at maturity). Alive cells but short-lived.
Ground Tissue
Generally the tissue between the dermal and vascular bundles. In a young plant, might occupy much of the plant body. In older plants, found primarily in leaves and the youngest growth. Contains cells where photosynthesis occur (cells w/chloroplasts).
Stems
Plant organ for conduction, support, and storage.
Leaf
Plant organ where most/all gas exchange and photosynthesis occurs. Blade and petiole attached to stem (node) & make up whole leaf.
Palisade Mesophyll cells
Just under the upper epidermis, pallisade cells contain the largest number of chloroplast cells, making them the primary site of photosynthesis. Cylindrical and positions under the top surface of the leaf.
Spongy Mesophyll cells
consists of irregularly shaped parenchyma cells which are located between the palisade mesophyll and the abaxial (lower) epidermis. They contain less chloroplast than the palisade cells but photosynthesis takes place. There are many intercellular air spaces between the spongy mesophyll cells which are interconnected and communicate with the stomata of the abaxial epidermis. This allows the food-producing cells of the leaf (the mesophyll) to access the gases (carbon dioxide - CO2 and oxygen - O2) which they need for photosynthesis and respiration.
Stomata
Purpose- gas exchange. water and O2 exits, CO2 comes in.
Structure- two guard cells. When turgor (full of water) they are pushed apart from each other- it is open. When they loose water, the turgor pressure is lost and they collapse against each other, closing the pore. This is highly regulated and happens over and over again.
Meristems
Areas of active cell division. Areas of growth, taller, wider, longer.
Apical Meristems
At the tip of a stem, root - producing new cells for that area.
Cambium Meristem
Produces the cells of the xylem and phloem (all the cells of the vascular tissue). How plants have lateral growth/get wider
Intercalary Meristem
Allows grasses to continue to get longer, through the leaf (blade)
Flower
Purpose- to facilitate the mixing of genes between individuals, to ensure reproduction.
Methods of pollination
Wind (no petals– petals are for attracting animal pollinators).
Animal pollinators– bees, bats, hummingbirds, butterflies
*Flower turns to fruit that makes seeds. ALL of them. very rare of us to be interested in non flowering plants.
Whorls
Concentric circles– sepals, petals, anthers, carpel.
Anther
Contains pollen grain (which contain sperm). Plant balls.
Filament
Supports the anthers… ballsack stem.
Stamen
The filaments+anthers= the stamens
Stigma
top of style– where pollen lands (usually sticky) and is taken down to the ovary through the style.
Style
Connects the stigma to the ovary
Ovary
Contains the ovule (egg). can be more than 1.
Carpel
entire female part
Complete Flower
flower with all 4 whorls
Incomplete Flower
missing one or more whorls
Perfect Flower
Have both stamen and carpel at least. whorls dont matter.
Imperfect Flower
Missing the stamen or carpel, whorls don’t matter
Monoecious
“In one house” the male and female flowers are on the same plant, but not on the same flower (corn)
Dioecious
Male flowers are on one plant, and the female flowers are on another (male/female entire plants)
Buds
Protect dormant shoots or flowers.
Deciduous (buds)
a lot of visible buds
Evergreens (buds)
Tiny buds
Vegetative bud
Compressed stems with leaves, developed, ready to expand, but is protected by bud until it’s ready
Roots (4 main functions)
Absorb, Anchor/Support, Store, and Synthesize
Tap & lateral roots
One main root, secondary lateral roots
Fibrous Roots system
Do not have a single dominant root (all roots are adventitious– grow from stem). Many principle roots which are similar in size
Root cap
protects root apical meristem from the soil, slime coat
Rhizosphere
The location where the root system epidermis interacts with the media (soil, air, and h20)
Plug production
Used in vegetable and flower production (controls seed and production cost). Relies on soil-less media. Transplant shock (when plant stops growing right after transplant) can be avoided with good strong plugs (roots intact) and well watered.
