Basic Botany for Master Gardeners

Basic Botany for Master Gardeners

Mary E. OlienGreen Spring Gardens

Botany poem

Topics for Discussion Today

Plant Classification Structure and function

Next Week Flower structures Basic physiology Conditions for plant growth

Classification

By growth habit: woody vs. herbaceous By use: ornamental vs. natural By hardiness: hardy vs. tender By growth habit: annual vs. perennial By structures: flowers, leaves, stems

Horticultural Classification

Woody Have lignin in

their tissues Have cambial

layer from which "rings" of xylem and phloem arise.

Are usually not green beyond the first season

Herbaceous Do not have lignin

in their tissues, and are usually flexible

Lack cambial layer to generate "rings" of vascular tissue

Stems do not persist beyond on season

Horticultural Classification

Woody

Evergreen Keep leaves more

than one season Leaves often

have a waxy cuticle

Deciduous Drop leaves in fall Thin leaves that

grow quickly

Have lignin in their tissues

Have cambial layer from which "rings" of xylem and phloem arise.

Are usually not green beyond the first season

Horticultural ClassificationHerbaceous Annual

Complete lifecycle in one season

Have shallow root systems

Do not have lignin in their tissues, and are usually flexible

Lack cambial layer to generate "rings" of vascular tissue

Stems do not persist beyond on season

Biennial Completes lifecycle in two

seasons Forms rosette of leaves in

the fall, bloom in the spring

Perennial Lives more than two

seasons Stems may die back, but

roots survive

Plant Classification Activity

Generalized Plant Classification

Plants

Non-vascularMosses, liverworts, hornworts Vascular

Non-seed PlantsFerns, horsetails, whisk ferns Seed Plants

GymnospermsCycads, ginkgoes, conifers

Angiosperms

MonocotsGrasses, bulbs, palms

Dicots

Taxonomic HierarchyKingdomDivision ClassOrderFamilyGenusSpeciesVar., Form, Cv.

Other examples:• Bryophyta – mosses• Pteridophyta – ferns• Pinophyta – conifers

Taxonomic HierarchyKingdomPhylum ClassOrderFamilyGenusSpeciesVar., Form, Cv.

Other examples:• Magnoliopsida – dicotyledons

Taxonomic Hierarchy

KingdomPhylum ClassOrderFamilyGenusSpeciesVar., Form, Cv.

Other examples:• Iridaceae – Iris family• Poaceae – Grass family• Bromeliaceae – Bromeliad family

Taxonomic Hierarchy

KingdomPhylum ClassOrderFamilyGenusSpeciesVar., Form, Cv.

Other examples in the lily family:• Allium – onion• Frittilaria – frittilaries• Hosta – hostas

Taxonomic HierarchyKingdomPhylum ClassOrderFamilyGenusSpeciesVar., Form, Cv.

Other examples in the genus Lilium:• L. suprebum – turks cap lily• L. formosanum – formosa lily• L. longiflorum – Easter lily

Taxonomic HierarchyKingdomPhylum ClassOrderFamilyGenusSpeciesVar., Form, Cv.

Naming Plants Common names

are descriptive, but not precise.

Scientific names are used in the trade and in the literature.

Blue-eyed GrassSysyrinchium angustifolium P. Mill.

             Rohod

Rosebay, Great Laurel, White RhododendronRhododendron maximum, L.

The Linnaean SystemLinnaeus is credited with our current binomial naming system.

Language is Latin Two part name, genus and specific epithet. Genus is capitalized and is usually a noun Specific epithet is not capitalized, and is usually an adjective. Plants are referred to by genus, but not by specific epithet. Variety name, cultivar name and naming authority are part of the

official name. Ex: Cornus florida var. rubra L. Flowering Dogwood

Genus specific epithet variety or cultivar

Cornus florida L. var. rubraCornus florida L. ‘First Lady’

Activity Time!

Structure and Function

RootsStemsLeavesFlowersSeeds

Roots Tap Fibrous Adventitious systems

Plant Roots overhead

Stems Woody, herbaceous,

vines Support buds for leaves

and flowers

Plant stem overhead

Twig Anatomy

Activity Time!

Twig Handout

See you next time!

Leaves Arrangement:

Opposite Alternate

Simple vs. compound Shape:

Needle Entire Lobed Oval Palmate

Plant Leaves overheads

Parts of a Flower Sepal Petals Stamen

Filament Anther Pollen

Pistil Stigma Style

Ovary ovules

Activity Time!

Seeds

Basic parts Seed coat Cotyledon Embryo

Seed Dispersal

Methods Hitchhikers Winged Within attractive fruits Spring mechanisms Shakers

Basic Physiology: Important processes Photosynthesis Respiration Transpiration Absorption Translocation

PhotosynthesisConversion of energy from the sun to energy for life

Carbon Dioxide + Water Sugar + Oxygen

6 CO2 + 6 H2O C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Leaves from the inside

Chloroplasts

Leaf pigments

Pigment chromatography

Carotenes

Chlorophyll a Chlorophyll b

Xanthophylls

RespirationLiberation of energy from the sun stored as

sugars for use by the plant for plant functions.The reverse reaction of photosynthesis

Sugar + Oxygen Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy

C6H12O6 + 6 O2

6 CO2 + 6 H2O + 673 kcal energy

Comparing photosynthesis and respiration

Photosynthesis Respiration

• produces food • stores energy • uses water • uses carbon dioxide • releases oxygen • occurs in sunlight

• uses food • releases energy • produces water • produces carbon dioxide • uses oxygen • occurs in the dark as well as

light

What did the stem say to the leaf after hearing the story of photosynthesis?

What transpired next?

Plant Sweat = Transpiration

Process by which plants lose water from the leaf through the stomata

Stomates

What Controls Transpiration?

Environmental factors such as soil water, humidity, temperature and air movement affect the loss of moisture from plants.

Absorption

Process by which water, minerals and nutrients are moved into the plant.

These materials move through the xylem elements (tubes).

Water movement is a passive process relying on internal water pressure (water potential).

Nutrient movement is an active process requiring energy.

Translocation Process by which water, minerals, and sugars

are moved through the plants vascular system, the xylem and phloem elements (tubes).

Again, movement of water is a passive process dependent on the water potential within the plant.

Movement of sugars and other plant chemicals is an active process requiring energy.

Adaptations to Environmental Factors Light

Temperature

Moisture

Nutrients

Temperature

Moisture

Nutrients

Nitrogen Magnesiu

m Calcium Iron

Happy Gardening!

Thank you!