Plant morphology and anatomy

\( \newcommand\) • • • Root is a latest evolutionary innovation in the vegetative plant anatomy. Many “primitive” plants (all mosses and even some ferns like Psilotum) do not have roots; some flowering water plants like the> rootless duckweed ( Wolffia) or the coontail ( Ceratophyllum) have also reduced their roots. However, large homoiohydric plants need the constant supply of water and minerals, and this evolutionary challenge was responded with appearance of the root system. The Rootin an axial organ of plant with geotropic growth. One of root functions is to supply anchorage of the plant body in soil or on various surfaces. Other functions include water and mineral absorption and transport, food storage, and communication with other plants. Morphology of the Root There are two types of root systems. The first is a fibrous root systemwhich has multiple big roots that branch and form a dense mass which does not have a visible primary root (“grass-like”). The other is the tap root systemwhich has one main root that has branching into lateral roots (“carrot-like”). Figure \(\PageIndex\) Photosynthetic roots of leafless orchid Chiloschista segawai. Root nodulespresent on the roots of nitrogen-fixing plants, they contain bacteria capable to deoxidize athmospheric nitrogen into ammonia: N\(_2\) \(\rightarrow\) NH\(_3\). Root nodules contain also hemoglobin-like proteins which facilitate nitrogen fixation by keeping oxygen concentration low. Nitrogen-fixing plants are especial...

What is Plant Morphology and Anatomy? The study of life and organisms is biology. The cell is recognized as the basic unit of life by biology. From ancient Greek, biology is recognized. Modern biology deals with the recent developments in Science. Morphology is a discipline of biology concerned with the study of organisms' form and structure and their different structural characteristics. The plant morphology includes roots, stems, leaves. Plant anatomy, often known as phytotomy, is the study of the internal structure of plants. The plant anatomy includes leaves, stem, and flower. Parts of Plant Anatomy Below are various parts that come under plant anatomy. Flowering plant Over 300,000 species of land plants are present. They are also known as seed-bearing plants. Seed-bearing plants are angiosperms. During Triassic, period angiosperms evolved from gymnosperms. Almost 140 million years ago first flowering plants evolved. The flower is a reproductive part of the plant. This character distinguishes it from other seed plants. By the process of pollination, angiosperms reproduce. The morphology of plants includes two systems: the root system and the shoot system. The root is the underground portion of the plant, whereas the shoot is the portion of the plant present above the ground. Root system The brown, underground portion of the plant represents the root. The root system contains roots with root branches. Root systems are of three types. Taproot, Fibrous, and Adventitious r...

Plant anatomy is the study of the internal structure of plants. It often involves sectioning of tissues and microscopy, to study plants at the cellular level. Plant anatomy is divided into structural categories such as root anatomy, stem anatomy, wood anatomy, leaf anatomy, fruit/seed anatomy and flower anatomy. The study of the external structure and physical form of plants is known as plant morphology. It is useful in the visual identification of plants. Plant morphology studies the reproductive and vegetative structures of plants. It examines the pattern of development along with the process by which structures originate and mature when a plant grows. This book includes some of the vital pieces of work being conducted across the world, on various topics related to plant anatomy and morphology. It strives to provide a fair idea about these disciplines and to help develop a better understanding of the latest advances within these fields. The extensive content of this book provides the readers with a thorough understanding of the subject.

\( \newcommand\) • • The stemis an axial organ of shoot. It has functions of support, transportation, photosynthesis, and storage. Stem has radial structure, no root hairs and grows continuously. Morphology of the Stem Stem morphology is simple. Its components are nodes (places where leaves are/were attached) and internodes, long or short (in the last case, plant sometimes appears to be stemless, rosette-like).Stems are different by the type of phyllotaxis. The phyllotaxisrefers to the arrangement of leaves. If there is one leaf per node, it is a spiral( alternate) arrangement. Two leaves per node means opposite arrangement: two leaves per node arrangement. Opposite leaves can be all in the same plane or each pair can rotate at 90\(^\circ\). If there are more than two leaves per node, it is a whorled arrangement, and each whorl can also rotate. Each type of spiral phyllotaxis has its own angle of divergence. Multiple types of spiral leaf arrangement mostly follow the Fibonacci sequence: \[\frac\), et cetera. It is still not absolutely clear why the spiral phyllotaxis is under such a theoretical mathematical rule. The most feasible hypothesis emphasizes mathematical problem of circle packing and the competition between leaf primordia around SAM. Anatomy of the Primary Stem Plant evolution resulted first in the primary stems with no lateral meristems and secondary tissues. Only long after plants “learned” how to thicken their stems. Figure \(\PageIndex\) Anatomy of the prima...

Microtomy and Microscopy Anatomy is the study of the structure of living organisms, while morphology is the study of an organism's form and the development of that form. In biological organisms, there is usually a relationship between form and function, reflective of designs that serve a particular purpose. For instance, the anatomy of the root system reveals its various roles in storage, anchorage, and the acquisition and transport of nutrients and water. Because of this, the study of anatomy has much to tell us about the physiology of plants. Plant anatomy and morphology are critical components of nutrient acquisition and transport. Radial, or concentric, arrangement of tissues within the root determines patterns and rates of nutrient transport from the soil to the vascular tissue. The presence of certain features, such as the casparian band in the endodermis, allow passage of needed compounds and prevent uptake of toxic substances. Patterns of root growth determine when and where roots encounter nutrients. The amount of biomass underground, compared to the aboveground biomass, gives us an idea of how much the plant is "spending" on its root system. If it is spending a lot, this might mean that it is growing a lot or is having a hard time getting what it needs to grow. The Roots Lab uses primarily laser ablation tomography (LAT) to image root anatomy. See our Study shows ‘steep, cheap and deep’ roots help corn plants deal with drought Jagdeep Sidhu and Sam Walker win awa...

• 16.1: Plant Anatomy • 16.1.1: Plant Tissues • 16.1.2: Roots • 16.1.3: Stems • 16.1.4: The Leaf • 16.1.5: Arabidopsis Thaliana • 16.2: Plant Physiology • 16.2A: Xylem • 16.2B: Phloem • 16.2C: Transpiration • 16.2D: Gas Exchange in Plants • 16.2E: Photorespiration and C4 Plants • 16.2F: Tropisms • 16.3: Reproduction in Plants • 16.3A: Alternation of Generations in Plants • 16.3B: Moss Life Cycle • 16.3C: Fern Life Cycle • 16.3D: Angiosperm Life Cycle • 16.3E: Asexual Reproduction in Plants • 16.3E: Self-incompatibility - How Plants Avoid Inbreeding • 16.3F: Transgenic Plants • 16.4: Plant Development - Fundamentals • 16.4A: Plant Growth • 16.4B: Germination of Seeds • 16.4C: Etiolation • 16.4D: Flowering • 16.4E: Photoperiodism and Phytochrome • 16.5: Plant Development - Hormones • 16.5A: Abscisic acid (ABA) • 16.5B: Auxin • 16.5C: Cytokinins • 16.5D: Ethylene • 16.5E: Gibberellins • 16.5F: Strigolactones