CHAPTER 5
MoRPHOLOGY oF FLOWEIUN p
. Q LANTs
Toe wide range in the s tructure of higher plants Will
us. Even though the angiosperms show such a largenever di
fail l O f .
ascmate
structure or niorphology, they are all ch aracterised b verslty ln extemal
stems. leaves, flowers and fruits. ;y presence of ro0 ts
•
In chapters 2 and 3 , we talked about classification ofpl t b
I IL
ans ased
on morphological and other characteristics. For any successful attempt
at classification and at underst anding any h igh er plant {or for that
I< }-11lif
matter any living organism) we need to know stand ard technical terms
,.6
and standard definitions . We also need t o know about the possible
b 1"/11; :;_,eel variations in different parts, found as adaptations of the plants to their
~ scmi-tec-hrtical environment, e .g., adaptions to various habitats, for protection,
.,.8 fa climbing, storage, etc.
fk!!---c·riptIDn q
rypical If you pull out any weed you will see that all of them h ave roots, stems
f1owert11g Plant and leaves. They may be bearing flowers and fruits. The underground
part of the flowering plant is the root system while the portion above the
a [)escriptum of
6.. 5Gme [mportanl ground forms the shoot system (Figure 5.1).
families
5.1 THE RooT 0"11~~ A ..,a_d,,:t.Le.,,, .
?' d.
(!!:_:rp.~ort_ty ofPI$~cotyledon~ s P!~ts, the direct elongation of the radicle
~:;eral
leads to the formation ~.-!i,IQ...aI'.Y.JO~t~ which grows inside the soil.
It bears lateral roots orders that are referred to ~s secondary,
'----------
tertiary, etc. roots. riroacy roots and its branches constitute the
, B10L()cv
66
1'
tap root system, a s seen in the mustarc1
~ ~---Flower plant (Fi~re 5.2a). In :rp.ono_cotyledono-u.s
plants~ primary root is ~hort lived anc1 "
iS replac_e9-=_~a large number of roots.
.----Fruit Tfiese"roots on.@3
te from the b ase of the
~ - - - -- Stem stem and cons_titute the fibrous root
~ I"~-- Leaf Shoot system,,as seen in the wheat plant (Fi~
system 5 In some plants, li~e grass,
Monstera d the banyan tree,lr oots arise
o ► ~....9f t,he plant other th~ ~
N
[F821cleFd ar~ called i!_~vent!t~µs roots
(Figure 5.2c). The main functions of the
root system are absorption of water anct
minerals from_the soil, pro~ding a proper
Primary anchorage to t1:1e plant" parts, storing
root Root reserve food material and synthesis of
~.___Secondary system
root plant growth regulators:
~ A 4 9 -, 4 ~ VL<:J-r ~
Figure s.1 p cu.=
... -~
of a flowering plant
~~ ~ ~ l P4K)
i,.,ocl ~ scrrp f, ~ A-1 Ui\.&ra.._Of c.,
b- 1. ~ f tJ
'vy'\,( )1 t.y-a.t
Fibrous roots
Adventitious raots I
(b)
(c] IJ
MoRPHOLOGY oF FLOWEIUN p
. Q LANTs
Toe wide range in the s tructure of higher plants Will
us. Even though the angiosperms show such a largenever di
fail l O f .
ascmate
structure or niorphology, they are all ch aracterised b verslty ln extemal
stems. leaves, flowers and fruits. ;y presence of ro0 ts
•
In chapters 2 and 3 , we talked about classification ofpl t b
I IL
ans ased
on morphological and other characteristics. For any successful attempt
at classification and at underst anding any h igh er plant {or for that
I< }-11lif
matter any living organism) we need to know stand ard technical terms
,.6
and standard definitions . We also need t o know about the possible
b 1"/11; :;_,eel variations in different parts, found as adaptations of the plants to their
~ scmi-tec-hrtical environment, e .g., adaptions to various habitats, for protection,
.,.8 fa climbing, storage, etc.
fk!!---c·riptIDn q
rypical If you pull out any weed you will see that all of them h ave roots, stems
f1owert11g Plant and leaves. They may be bearing flowers and fruits. The underground
part of the flowering plant is the root system while the portion above the
a [)escriptum of
6.. 5Gme [mportanl ground forms the shoot system (Figure 5.1).
families
5.1 THE RooT 0"11~~ A ..,a_d,,:t.Le.,,, .
?' d.
(!!:_:rp.~ort_ty ofPI$~cotyledon~ s P!~ts, the direct elongation of the radicle
~:;eral
leads to the formation ~.-!i,IQ...aI'.Y.JO~t~ which grows inside the soil.
It bears lateral roots orders that are referred to ~s secondary,
'----------
tertiary, etc. roots. riroacy roots and its branches constitute the
, B10L()cv
66
1'
tap root system, a s seen in the mustarc1
~ ~---Flower plant (Fi~re 5.2a). In :rp.ono_cotyledono-u.s
plants~ primary root is ~hort lived anc1 "
iS replac_e9-=_~a large number of roots.
.----Fruit Tfiese"roots on.@3
te from the b ase of the
~ - - - -- Stem stem and cons_titute the fibrous root
~ I"~-- Leaf Shoot system,,as seen in the wheat plant (Fi~
system 5 In some plants, li~e grass,
Monstera d the banyan tree,lr oots arise
o ► ~....9f t,he plant other th~ ~
N
[F821cleFd ar~ called i!_~vent!t~µs roots
(Figure 5.2c). The main functions of the
root system are absorption of water anct
minerals from_the soil, pro~ding a proper
Primary anchorage to t1:1e plant" parts, storing
root Root reserve food material and synthesis of
~.___Secondary system
root plant growth regulators:
~ A 4 9 -, 4 ~ VL<:J-r ~
Figure s.1 p cu.=
... -~
of a flowering plant
~~ ~ ~ l P4K)
i,.,ocl ~ scrrp f, ~ A-1 Ui\.&ra.._Of c.,
b- 1. ~ f tJ
'vy'\,( )1 t.y-a.t
Fibrous roots
Adventitious raots I
(b)
(c] IJ
