Plant Morphology

Basic Plant Parts:

Root - absorbing/anchoring organ (sometimes

storage)

Stem - supportive, conductive organ (sometimes

storage)

Leaf - photosynthetic organ (sometimes

modified)

Shoot= stem + associated leaves

Bud= immature shoot,

usually with protective scale leaves

Each leafprimordiumdevelops intoone leaf.

Caryota sp.Arecaceae

Branch= elongated shoot, arising from bud

Plant Habit

Herb - plant with annual above-ground parts

Vine - weak stems, supported by another pl.

Shrub - woody, >1 trunk

Tree - woody, 1 trunk

Root Types/Parts

taproot fibrous roots

Root Types/Parts

storage roots Raphanus sativus, radish

Stem (Shoot) Types

bulb(mostly leaves)

corm(mostly stem)

both underground storage stems

Stem (Shoot) Types

horizontal,underground

thickened, storage,develops from

stem tip

long internodes,ends in plantlet

sharp-pointedstem

Leaf Structural Type

Leaf Structural Type

Stipular Spine - Euphorbia spp. (Euphorbiaceae)

Leaf Structural Type

Leaf Spine (arising from areole) - Cactaceae

Leaf Structural Type

Tendril - Lathyrus (Fabaceae)

Leaf Structural Type

Bract-modified, usually reduced leaf

associated with flowers

Bud Scale-modified leaf functioning to protect apical meristem of bud

Leaf Type / Parts

simple - blade not divided into leaflets

compound-leaf divided into discrete leaflets

Leaf Type / Parts

simple pinnatelycompound

bipinnatelycompound

Leaf Type / Parts

ternate/trifoliolate

palmate

leaf arrangement

alternatespiral

1 leaf / node

opposite2 leaves / node

whorled3+ leaves / node

Leaf Venation

2 major types:parallel - monocotsnetted - eudicots

vestiture

= cover of plant "hairs" (trichomes)

glaucous - waxy coating

viscid - sticky secretion

glabrous - smooth, with no trichomes