Plants Form and Function Flashcards
Xylem
vascular tissue that carries water upward from the roots to every part of a plant
phloem
Living vascular tissue that carries sugar and organic substances throughout a plant
chitin
A structural polysaccharide, consisting of amino sugar monomers, found in many fungal cell walls
indeterminate growth
A type of growth characteristic of plants, in which the organism continues to grow as long as it lives.
determinate growth
A type of growth characteristic of most animals and some plant organs, in which growth stops after a certain size is reached.
angiosperms
A flowering plant which forms seeds inside a protective chamber called an ovary.
gymnosperms
A plant that produces seeds that are exposed rather than seeds enclosed in fruits
shoot system
The aerial portion of a plant body, consisting of stems, leaves, and (in angiosperms) flowers.
root system
All of a plant’s roots, which anchor it in the soil, absorb and transport minerals and water, and store food.
apical bud
A bud at the tip of a plant stem; also called a terminal bud.
node
where a petiole attaches to a stem
petiole
The stalk of a leaf, which joins the leaf to a node of the stem.
axillary bud
A structure that has the potential to form a lateral shoot, or branch. The bud appears in the angle formed between a leaf and a stem.
taproot
primary root found in some plants that grows longer and thicker than other roots
lateral roots
A root that arises from the outermost layer of the pericycle of an established root.
pneumatophores
also known as air roots, these roots are produced by trees like mangroves, and project above the surface to get oxygen
storage roots
modified roots that store water or food
surface area to volume ratio
Root systems are tube shape for greater surface area and absorptive regions of a shoot system are flattened structures - leaves
Plant body is more efficient as an absorption and synthesis machine when it has a large surface area relative to its volume
phenotypic plasticity in shoot systems
Plants undergo differential growth, producing more branches and leaves in regions of the body that are exposed to the highest light levels. A plant’s shoot system grows in directions that maximize its chances of capturing light
stolons
A horizontal above ground stem that takes root at various intervals
rhizomes
horizontal underground stems
tubers
the thick, fleshy parts of underground stems, such as potatoes
simple leaf
a leaf that has an undivided blade
compound leaves
have more than one blade on every petiole
morphological diversity in leaves
not all are large and some are thing in order to minimize transpiration; Arrange of leaves vary to maximize of light capacity
-simple
-compound
-doubly compound
-needlelike
phenotypic plasticity in leaves
*Although leaves do not grow continuously, they do exhibit phenotypic plasticity
*Oak tree leaves vary depending on the amount of sunlight they are exposed to
–Sun leaves have relatively small surface area, reducing water loss in areas of the body where light is abundant
–Shade leaves are relatively large and broad, providing a high surface area to maximize photon absorption
primary cell wall
In plants, a relatively thin and flexible layer that surrounds the plasma membrane of a young cell.
Supports cell and shape
secondary cell wall
In plant cells, a strong and durable matrix that is often deposited in several laminated layers around the plasma membrane and provides protection and support.
plasmodesmata
channels through cell walls that connect the cytoplasms of adjacent cells
simple tissues
consist of a single cell type
complex tissues
composed of two or more kinds of cells
tissue systems
dermal, vascular, ground
dermal tissue system
The outer protective covering of plants
ground tissue system
Plant tissues that are neither vascular nor dermal, fulfilling a variety of functions, such as storage, photosynthesis, and support.
