Table Of Contents: Unit 1

Title                                                            Page #(s)

Introduction------------------------------------             5

Importance of Plants------------------------              6

Grouping Plants-------------------------------        6 - 8

What's the Difference? Quiz---------------             9

Life Stages and Plant Types----------------      10-15

Plant Structures and Function-------------     16-23

Roots, Stem, and Leaves Quiz--------------          24

Flowers/Cones/or Spores--------------------     25-29

Concluding Page--------------------------------          30

Throughout the book, There're hidden images of words highlighted in yellow. Those images will be on the same page as the yellow highlighted words. Once you read the text, try to find the figures! The red texts means they are important to remember as you will be learning but dont forgot to have fun!

Introduction to Botany

*Plant Basics

Importance of Plants

Plants are responsible for all life in our planet. They produce oxygen, the base of all our food, clothing, slow erosion, cool down areas as shade, and even purifies the air. 

Grouping Plants:

All plants are 1.eukaryotic (meaning they have a nuclei; nuclei means the central and most important part for growth), 2. photosynthetic (meaning they use sunlight to give and take carbon dioxide and water), 3. multicolor

All plants react to stimuli or a reaction/response. All plants have basic body structures with specific functions: 

- Specific leaf structure for environment to perform photosynthesis 

- Specific stem structures for environment for protection/reproduction/ and photosynthesis 

- Specific root systems for water absorption, nutrient absorption, and anchoring

- Reproductive structures specific to their environment

All plants are grouped by the way they produce.

-Land Plants: eukaryotic, autotrophs;  able to get nutrients through inorganic substances, has a cell wall aka cellulose, alternation of generation (you will learn more about this later) 

---> Photosynthetic Autotrophs

* Hydrophytes- water plants

* Bryophytes- air plants

* Pteridophytes- spore bearing plants (don't produce seeds)

* Gymnosperms- cone bearing plants ( you will know more about these coming up and in future chapters)

* Angiosperms- flowering bearing plants ( you will know more about these coming up chapters) 

Challenge what you know from the previous page by testing your skills with this quiz.

Life Stages and Plant Types

Plants have 2 distinct stages. These are called alternating generation

- Haploid (n)

- Diploid (2n)

2 main types of plants are Hydrophytes and Bryophytes. 

Hydrophytes are water plants. They usually have no stems, they use roots to anchor or hold onto things and in order to reproduce, they use water and pollinators most of the time unlike wind that most would think. Examples of these would be water lilies, and sea grass. 

Bryophytes are land plants. They are nonvascular plants which means they dont have a way to transport water and nutrients. Examples of these are mosses, liverworts, and hornworts.

Gametophytes, Sporophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gametophytes (n) are photosynthetic which means they use photosynthesis. Gametophytes are dominate generation typically to ground-hugging plants. Examples are ferns, and seedless vascular plants. 

Sporophytes (2n) is dominate generation towards damp areas due to flagellated sperm that must swim to reach eggs.

Gymnosperms are "naked" seeds ( not enclosed in the ovaries; Ovaries are where the seed grows in the plant. You will get into more detail in later chapters). Examples are conifers aka cones, ginkgoes, and cycads. Sporophyte (2n) is the dominate generation as seeds are exposed on modified leaves that usually form cones 

Angiosperms are flowering plants. Examples are pecan trees, roses, peach trees, and tomatoes. Sporophyte (2n) generation is dominate.

Plant Structures and Function

The structures of the plant are roots, stems, leaves, and flowers/cones/or spores.

- Roots:

Roots anchor plants and hold them upright, absorb water and nutrients, and store large amounts of food and water. 

2 Types of Main Roots

1. Tap: food storage

2. Fibrous: water absorption and anchor, often covered in root hairs to increase absorption. 

Examples                                     Non-Examples

* Sweet Potatoes                       * Irish Potatoes

* Carrots                                    * Celery

* Beets                                         * Kale 

* Yuca                                           * Beans

The Root Cap protects the root while it grows through the soil. The roots have adapted over time to now be able to prop, pneumatophores (roots that grow up and out for respiration aka air), storage, aerial (be able to wrap around things or "strangle"), and buttress ( roots that prevent the tree from falling over). 

Stems

2 Main Purposes: (1) Allow for transportation of water and nutrients from roots in Xylem. (2) Allow for glucose (sugar) from leaves to flow down phloem.

Stem Types

2 Main Stem Types (1) Woody: Has outer dead epidermis/bark. Vascular bundle/ live tissue in the center and push dead cells out making wood. Allows woody plants to get much taller and thicker. (2) Vascular: Much thinner and smaller. External stem; lenticels- breathing holes in stalk. Bud Scales- where growth stopped for one year then began. Leaf Scars- where leaves were attached