Botany Unit

Plant Systematics
 Basic process in plant taxonomy
 Cataloging
 Identifying
 Classifying
Cataloging
 3 Parts in Cataloging
 Naming: Uses binomial nomenclature
 Describing: Looks at attributes of a plant to assign a name
 Recording: Information must be recorded
 Over 300,000 different kinds of plants have been cataloged!
Identification
 Learn to recognize major groups of plants by learning key
features of families is a major step to identification.
 Learn the anatomy and key descriptions of plants to correctly
identify them. (Use plant dichotomous Key)
Classification
 Uses 7 taxa developed by Carolus Linnaeus
 Kingdom
 Phylum
 Class
 Order
 Family
 Genus
 Species
Vascular Plants
 Vascular Plants include:
 Ferns and allies
 Gymnosperms: Cone Bearing
 Angiosperms: Flowering
**Largest group is the angiosperms 235,000 species**
What Botanist Look At?
 Botanist look at the following parts to classify plants:
 Flowers
 Stems
Flowers
 Roots
 Leaves
Stems
Leaves
Roots
Roots & Function
 Functions of roots:
 Anchoring
 Storage of food and water
 Support
 Absorb water and nutrients
Types of Roots
 3 Major type of Roots
 Taproot: Carrot
 Fibrous Root:
 Adventitious Roots: Mangroves
Stems & Function
 Functions of stems:
 Transportation
 Support
 Storage
 Protection
Stem Terms
 Nodes: Places where leaves are attached
 Modified Stems
 Tuber: potato
 Bulbs: Onion
 Corm: Gladiolus
 Rhizome: Ginger
Leaves & Functions
 Functions of Leaves (photosynthesis)
 Coniferous Trees: Loose their leaves all the time, but seem to
have leaves all year long
 Deciduous Trees: Loose leaves all at once
Leaf Anatomy
 Make sure you know
the following Parts:
 Blade
 Vein
 Petiole
 Node
 Midrib
Venation
Leaf Type
 Simple Leaves
 Compound Leaves
 Doubly Compound Leaves
Leaf Arrangement
 Opposite
 Alternate
 Whorled
 Basal
Leaf Shape
Plant Terms
 Annuals: Live for only one year, corn, peas, etc.
 Biennial: Green (vegetative) first year flowers the second year
 Perennials: Lives for year (5+) they come back every year,
grasses, hostas, dandylions, etc