The Parts of a Plant

What Plant Part Is It? Stem, Leaf, Root, Flower, Fruit, Seed?

Fruit/Vegetable Part of Plant• Broccoli• Cabbage• Carrot • Celery Stalk• Corn Kernel• Onion• Potato• Tomato• Zucchini

A) SHOOTS AND ROOTSThe resources that a terrestrial plant needs are in two different places:

• Sunlight, CO2 and O2 are above ground

• water and minerals are in the soil

• Plant parts are specialized for acquiring these different resources

Plants have two main organ systems

Shoot system

Root system

1) The shoot system is above ground and includes organs such as leaves, buds, stems, flowers (if the plant has any), and fruits (if the plant has any)

bladepetiole

lateral bud

stem

vascular tissue

apical bud

leaf

Shoot system

Root system

Leaves• absorb sunlight and

gases (CO2, O2) • provide food (sugar) for

the entire plant through photosynthesis

• Stomata (singular: stoma) are openings in the underside of the leaf that allow gases (CO2 and O2) to enter and leave. They also allow water evapouration

Guard cellsStoma

2) The root system includes those parts of the plant below ground, such as the roots, tubers, and rhizomes

apical budblade

petiole

lateral bud

stem

vascular tissue

primary root

lateral root

root hairs

leaf

Shoot system

Root system

Roots • absorb water and

minerals from the soil.

• root hairs increase surface area for absorption

• roots also anchor the plant to the “substrate” (ground)

B) PLANT TISSUES

Plant organs are made up of 3 types of tissues:

1) Dermal tissue

2) Ground tissue

3) Vascular tissue

1) Dermal Tissue• covers the outer surface

of herbaceous plants• Made up of epidermal

cells• in stems and leaves,

covered by a cuticle, a waxy layer that prevents water loss

2) Ground Tissue• most of the interior of the

plant• functions in synthesis of

sugars, storage and support

3) Vascular tissue• a system of tubes that

distribute water, minerals, hormones and sugars throughout the plant

• xylem tubes bring water and minerals from the roots up to the leaves (“water the xylem”)

• xylem tubes also have strong walls that also function to support plants and hold them upright

• phloem tubes distribute sugars from the leaves to the rest of the plant (“feed the phloem”)

• A look at the vascular system of a pine tree:

• A look at the vascular system of a pine tree:

take a cross-section of the trunk

• A cross-section of a trunk or stem of a pine tree:

wood

inner bark

outer bark

• A cross-section of a trunk or stem of a pine tree:

wood= xylem

inner bark= phloem

outer bark

• a closer look:

wood= xylem

inner bark= phloem

outer bark

C) PLANT GROWTH• Plant growth occurs in areas

called meristems• Cells in these areas are

undergoing mitotic division

• Apical Meristem• located at tips of roots

and shoots• allows increase in

height/length• Lateral Meristem

• located in cylinders within the plant body

• allows increase in width