Plant form and function (part 2)

Question 1

Flower anatomy

Answer 1

1. Carpals: collectively called the calyx, outermost part of the flower, leaf-like structures, may be photosynthetic
2. Petals: collectively called the corella, colourful, nectaries, attracts pollinators
3. Stamens: composed of the filament which supports the anther (pollens grains develop with the anther)
4. Carpels: Ovary - contains ovules where female gametes develop, Style - neck of the carpel where ovary is, Stigma - sticky tip which receives pollen

Question 2

Angiosperms (flowering plants) types

Answer 2

Two types based on the number of cotyledons (Embryonic leaf (or leaves) in seed-bearing plants that provides the nutrition needed for the embryonic plant to
germinate and become established as a photosynthetic organism
- Monocots e.g. orchids
- Eudicots e.g. snow pea

Question 3

Plant nutrition

Answer 3

• Most are autotrophic (photosynthetic)
• Few are heterotrophic e.g. sundews
  Essential minerals:
• Inorganic molecules that cannot be produced by organism
• Minerals account for ~4% of a plant’s dry mass (carbohydrates = the other ~96%)
• Hydronic culture determines which minerals are essential (plants are placed in a solution which omits one nutrients, if plant suffers, mineral is essential

Question 4

Macro and micro nutrients

Answer 4

Macro: needs large quantities of it, e.g. carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, and sulfur
Micro: needs smaller quantities of it, e.g. calcium, magnesium, chlorine, nickel

Question 5

Nutrient Uptake

Answer 5

1. Phosphorus uptake:
   - Phosphate concentration in the soil is much lower than in plants, so energy-driven transport systems are required to move phosphate into the plant
   - Plants and mycorrhizal fungi have a mutualistic relationship *fungi get carbon
2. Potassium uptake:
   - Soil solution K+: Dissolved in soil water,
   available for plant uptake
   - Exchangeable K+: On exchange sites in soil, available for plant uptake
   - Fixed K+: Trapped inside clay,
   not available for plant uptake
   - Mineral K+: Contained in rocks and
   other materials, not available for plant uptake
   *Root hairs uptake K+
3. Nitrogen fixation: N2 is converted to form usable by plants (BACTERIA)