c. Plant cell biology - encompasses the structures,
INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY functions and life processes of plant cells.
PHBIOSC 201 – LEC
d. Plant anatomy - microscopic plant structure (cells
and tissues).
Coconut Tree
e. Plant morphology - structures of plant parts such
- Cocos nusifera
as leaves, roots and stems, including their evolution and
- most useful tree
development.
- can be used from its roots to its fruits
f. Plant physiology - study such processes as
• “World’s Most Useful Tree” or “Tree of Life”
photosynthesis and mineral nutrition to understand
• Versatile and provide almost everything a
how plants function.
person needs. Produces 50 to 100 nuts/fruits
g. Plant genetics - plant heredity and variation.
per year.
• Immature green coconut seed is highly h. Plant ecology - the study of the interrelationships
nutritious liquid center called Endosperm that among plants and between plants and their
solidified to form coconut meat. environment.
• Highly saturated oil. Copra/Dried Coconut Meat
can be eaten as it is or it can be pressed to Levels of Biological Organization
extract oil. • Cell – microscopic and is the smallest that can perform all
• The oil can be used to make soap, found in the activities associated with life.
margarine, nondairy creamer, cosmetics, suntan • Element – cells are composed and constitute the simplest
and hand lotions. level of organization in the biological world.
• Coconut oil – anti-parasitic; gastro-intenstinal; • Atom – smallest particle of an element that possesses the
anti-bacterial, antifungal properties of an element.
• Molecule – formed when atoms combine chemically by
Paclitaxel (Taxol) forming bonds.
- Taxus brevifolia • Macromolecules – large biological molecules.
- therapeutic drug used for cancer • Organelles – formed compartments when macromolecules
• Taxol – first branch that manufactured Paclitaxel associate with one another.
• First obtained from the bark of the Pacific Yew • Tissues – association of cells that perform specific
• First tested in the mid-1960s and can inhibit the functions.
growth of cancer cells. Approved in 1992 for • Organs – functional units that perform specific roles.
treating advanced stages of ovarian cancer. In • Organisms – distinct, living entities.
1994 was approved for treating breast cancer • Populations – groups of members of the same species that
that has spread in the lymph nodes. live together in the same area at the same time.
• Pacific yew is one of the slowest growing trees. • Communities – consists of all the populations of different
organisms that live and interact within the area.
• Ecosystem –
BOTANY
community together
with its nonliving
- also known as “Plant Biology”. environment.
- scientific study of plants. • Biospheres – all of
- encompasses the origin, diversity, structure, and Earth’s ecosystems.
internal process of plants as well as their relationships
with other organisms and with the nonliving physical
environment.
Specialties
a. Plant molecular biology - study the structure and
functions of important biological molecules such as
proteins and nucleic acid.
b. Plant biochemistry - study of chemical interactions
within plants, including the variety of chemicals that
plants produce.
, Characteristics of Plants • Growth is a part of development, which includes all
o Although plants are a dominant part of our the changes in a plant or other organism from the
landscape, they are easy to overlook or take for start of its life through its immature stage, through
granted because they appear so passive. its mature stage, to its death.
o Plants do not appear to “live” in the sense that
animals live. E. Plants reproduce
o Plants do not run or swim or slither or fly; they do • Reproduction, the formation of a new individual by
not eat other plants or animal prey; nor do they sexual or asexual means, is the most distinctive
reproduce by an obvious coupling of two characteristics of life.
partners. • Reproduction enables an organism to perpetuate
o Plants have adapted to life on land in ways that its traits beyond an individual's own death.
seem completely different from the adaptations • Asexual reproduction - Does not involve union of
of humans and other animals. gametes (reproductive cells).
o Despite the perceived differences between plants • Sexual reproduction - Involves union of gametes
and animals, however, plants share many that may or may not come from two separate
important characteristics with other organisms. individuals.
A. Plants are highly organized
• Composed of building blocks called cells.
• Some organisms are unicellular, where as many
plants are composed of trillions of cells.
• The biological world is organized on more than just a
cellular level.
F. Plant DNA transmit information
B. Plants take in and use energy
• The characteristics of an organism are encoded in
• All organisms require energy for their activities
its genes.
• The two most important energy-related activities in
• Genes are composed of DNA, the organic molecule
the living world are photosynthesis and cellular
that stores and carries important genetic
respiration.
information in cells.
• Photosynthesis - Biological process that includes the
• Information encoded in genes is transmitted from
capture of light energy and its transformation into
one generation to the next during reproduction.
chemical energy of organic molecules that are
• Genes ensure that a bean plant produces seeds
manufactured from carbon dioxide.
that grow into bean plants, not into roses or
• Cellular Respiration - Cellular process in which
cucumbers.
energy of organic molecules is released for biological
work.
G. Plant populations undergo genetic
C. Plants respond to stimuli changes
• Stimuli to which plants respond include changes in • Adaptations are characteristics that enable an
the direction, color or luminosity of light. organism to better survive in a certain
• Temperature or the orientation toward gravity. environment.
• Chemical composition of the surrounding soil, air or • Adaptations may involve changes in structure,
water. form, or function. Evolution, the process by which
• Some plants respond to stimuli in a dramatic fashion. organisms adapt to their environment over time, is
the genetic change in a population of organisms
from generation to generation.
D. Plants grow and develop
• Evolutionary processes typically require long
• Growth is an increase in the size and mass of an periods of time and occur over many generations.
organism. • Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace first suggested a
• In plants, growth results from an increase in the plausible mechanism, natural selection, to explain
number of cells and an increase in the size of evolution.
cells. • In his book, On the Origin of Species by Means of
Natural Selection, published in 1859, Darwin
INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY functions and life processes of plant cells.
PHBIOSC 201 – LEC
d. Plant anatomy - microscopic plant structure (cells
and tissues).
Coconut Tree
e. Plant morphology - structures of plant parts such
- Cocos nusifera
as leaves, roots and stems, including their evolution and
- most useful tree
development.
- can be used from its roots to its fruits
f. Plant physiology - study such processes as
• “World’s Most Useful Tree” or “Tree of Life”
photosynthesis and mineral nutrition to understand
• Versatile and provide almost everything a
how plants function.
person needs. Produces 50 to 100 nuts/fruits
g. Plant genetics - plant heredity and variation.
per year.
• Immature green coconut seed is highly h. Plant ecology - the study of the interrelationships
nutritious liquid center called Endosperm that among plants and between plants and their
solidified to form coconut meat. environment.
• Highly saturated oil. Copra/Dried Coconut Meat
can be eaten as it is or it can be pressed to Levels of Biological Organization
extract oil. • Cell – microscopic and is the smallest that can perform all
• The oil can be used to make soap, found in the activities associated with life.
margarine, nondairy creamer, cosmetics, suntan • Element – cells are composed and constitute the simplest
and hand lotions. level of organization in the biological world.
• Coconut oil – anti-parasitic; gastro-intenstinal; • Atom – smallest particle of an element that possesses the
anti-bacterial, antifungal properties of an element.
• Molecule – formed when atoms combine chemically by
Paclitaxel (Taxol) forming bonds.
- Taxus brevifolia • Macromolecules – large biological molecules.
- therapeutic drug used for cancer • Organelles – formed compartments when macromolecules
• Taxol – first branch that manufactured Paclitaxel associate with one another.
• First obtained from the bark of the Pacific Yew • Tissues – association of cells that perform specific
• First tested in the mid-1960s and can inhibit the functions.
growth of cancer cells. Approved in 1992 for • Organs – functional units that perform specific roles.
treating advanced stages of ovarian cancer. In • Organisms – distinct, living entities.
1994 was approved for treating breast cancer • Populations – groups of members of the same species that
that has spread in the lymph nodes. live together in the same area at the same time.
• Pacific yew is one of the slowest growing trees. • Communities – consists of all the populations of different
organisms that live and interact within the area.
• Ecosystem –
BOTANY
community together
with its nonliving
- also known as “Plant Biology”. environment.
- scientific study of plants. • Biospheres – all of
- encompasses the origin, diversity, structure, and Earth’s ecosystems.
internal process of plants as well as their relationships
with other organisms and with the nonliving physical
environment.
Specialties
a. Plant molecular biology - study the structure and
functions of important biological molecules such as
proteins and nucleic acid.
b. Plant biochemistry - study of chemical interactions
within plants, including the variety of chemicals that
plants produce.
, Characteristics of Plants • Growth is a part of development, which includes all
o Although plants are a dominant part of our the changes in a plant or other organism from the
landscape, they are easy to overlook or take for start of its life through its immature stage, through
granted because they appear so passive. its mature stage, to its death.
o Plants do not appear to “live” in the sense that
animals live. E. Plants reproduce
o Plants do not run or swim or slither or fly; they do • Reproduction, the formation of a new individual by
not eat other plants or animal prey; nor do they sexual or asexual means, is the most distinctive
reproduce by an obvious coupling of two characteristics of life.
partners. • Reproduction enables an organism to perpetuate
o Plants have adapted to life on land in ways that its traits beyond an individual's own death.
seem completely different from the adaptations • Asexual reproduction - Does not involve union of
of humans and other animals. gametes (reproductive cells).
o Despite the perceived differences between plants • Sexual reproduction - Involves union of gametes
and animals, however, plants share many that may or may not come from two separate
important characteristics with other organisms. individuals.
A. Plants are highly organized
• Composed of building blocks called cells.
• Some organisms are unicellular, where as many
plants are composed of trillions of cells.
• The biological world is organized on more than just a
cellular level.
F. Plant DNA transmit information
B. Plants take in and use energy
• The characteristics of an organism are encoded in
• All organisms require energy for their activities
its genes.
• The two most important energy-related activities in
• Genes are composed of DNA, the organic molecule
the living world are photosynthesis and cellular
that stores and carries important genetic
respiration.
information in cells.
• Photosynthesis - Biological process that includes the
• Information encoded in genes is transmitted from
capture of light energy and its transformation into
one generation to the next during reproduction.
chemical energy of organic molecules that are
• Genes ensure that a bean plant produces seeds
manufactured from carbon dioxide.
that grow into bean plants, not into roses or
• Cellular Respiration - Cellular process in which
cucumbers.
energy of organic molecules is released for biological
work.
G. Plant populations undergo genetic
C. Plants respond to stimuli changes
• Stimuli to which plants respond include changes in • Adaptations are characteristics that enable an
the direction, color or luminosity of light. organism to better survive in a certain
• Temperature or the orientation toward gravity. environment.
• Chemical composition of the surrounding soil, air or • Adaptations may involve changes in structure,
water. form, or function. Evolution, the process by which
• Some plants respond to stimuli in a dramatic fashion. organisms adapt to their environment over time, is
the genetic change in a population of organisms
from generation to generation.
D. Plants grow and develop
• Evolutionary processes typically require long
• Growth is an increase in the size and mass of an periods of time and occur over many generations.
organism. • Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace first suggested a
• In plants, growth results from an increase in the plausible mechanism, natural selection, to explain
number of cells and an increase in the size of evolution.
cells. • In his book, On the Origin of Species by Means of
Natural Selection, published in 1859, Darwin
