Taxonomy
The scientific study of plants
What is Botany?
What two vascular tissues move materials through a plant?
Xylem (water & minerals) and Phloem (food/sugars)
What is the flat, broad portion of a leaf called?
The blade
Name one major function of roots.
Anchoring, absorbing water and nutrients, storing food.
What is the female reproductive structure of a flower called?
The pistil (stigma, style, ovary)
Name the two parts that make up a plant’s scientific name.
Genus and species
What happens if a dicot tree is girdled?
It usually dies — the ring of phloem/xylem is cut, stopping transport.
What is the main function of leaves?
Photosynthesis — using light to make glucose.
List the three zones of root growth in order from tip upward.
Root Cap / Area of Cell Division → Elongation → Maturation
What part of the flower produces pollen?
Anther (on the stamen)
What’s one major advantage of using binomial nomenclature instead of common names?
It avoids confusion — each species has one unique, universal name.
What is the function of the vascular cambium?
It produces new xylem and phloem for secondary growth.
What type of venation pattern do monocots have?
Parallel venation
What type of root system do grasses have?
Fibrous root system
Distinguish between a complete and an incomplete flower.
Complete flowers have sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils; incomplete flowers lack one or more of these.
Which group of plants lacks vascular tissue for transporting water?
Bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, hornworts)
Name two examples of modified stems and their functions.
Stolon (runner – spreads above ground); Tuber (storage of food underground).
Define “cotyledon.”
The seed leaf of an embryo — monocots have one, dicots have two.
What is the embryonic root of a seed called?
Radicle
Give one example of a simple fruit and one of a compound fruit.
Simple = peach (drupe); Compound = pineapple (multiple fruit).
Name the four major divisions of the Plant Kingdom as presented in class.
Bryophyta (non-vascular), Filicinophyta (ferns), Coniferophyta (conifers/gymnosperms), and Angiospermophyta (flowering plants)
How do monocot and dicot stems differ internally?
Monocots have scattered vascular bundles; dicots form a ring and can undergo secondary growth.
Explain one way to distinguish a simple leaf from a compound leaf.
A simple leaf has one blade with an axillary bud at its base; compound leaves have leaflets without axillary buds.
Why do roots need oxygen in the soil?
To carry out cellular respiration for energy — without oxygen growth stops.
Describe the three main parts of a seed.
Embryo (miniature plant), endosperm (food supply), seed coat (protection).