Plants

Morphology and classification

Plant taxonomy

• Oldest science

• Knowledge of local plants – flora is essential

• “Primitive” humans have more knowledge

• Leave for our future generation an undiminished biota

Plant taxonomy

• Production of an inventory of the world's flora • Production of a classification system that includes all

plants, this provides a systematic organization of the diversity found in plants;

• An understanding of relationships of plants that can be incorporated into classification systems, if we have a plant that has a useful characteristic, a classification system can provide information that may lead to the discovery of related plants with similar characteristics; and

• Provide universal rules and regulations regarding the naming of plants, which is critical to identification and communication.

Vegetative MorphologyDuration

• Annuals and biennials

• Perennials– Herbaceous – underground stems– Woody – trees and shrubs

• Trees – more than 5meters with usually one trunk• Shrubs – less than 5 meters with many trunks

Vegetative MorphologyPlant habit

Vegetative MorphologyRoot System

Vegetative MorphologyModified Structures

• Tendril - coiled clawed structure that enables plants to attach to objects. Tendrils are modified leaves and stems.

• Thorn - Woody, sharp-pointed stem. These can be terminal or in the axil of leaves. They are sometimes branched.

• Spine - Modified leaf or leaf-parts. Cacti spines are modified leaves.

• Prickle - Sharp structure that is an outgrowth of the bark or epidermis.

Vegetative MorphologyLeaf Arrangement

Vegetative StructuresLeaf Types

Flower Structure

Flower and the plant

• Ovary → fruit (+ some other structures)• Ovules → seed• COMPLETE FLOWER - A flower having all four

whorls• PERFECT FLOWER - A flower having both sexes• UNISEXUAL FLOWER - A flower having one sex

– MONOECIOUS PLANTS - A plant with unisexual flowers with both sexes on the same plant

– DIOECIOUS PLANTS - A plant with unisexual flowers with one sex on each plant, in effect, male and female plants

Learn

• Table 1.3 Common Latin names Used for Species and Their English Meaning

• Table 1.5 the suffix for each hierarchical level of classification

• Table 1.6 – monocot /dicot characteristics

• Vegetative (asexual) and sexual reproduction.– How do we exploit each type.