Plant Anatomy
Definitions

Anatomy


Morphology


Study of form and basic organization.
Study of tissue organization.
Physiology

Study of normal organism function.
Life Cycle



Juvenile
Vegetative
Adult
Reproductive
Plant Structure


Two main organ systems: shoot and
root
Shoot



Above ground
Leaves, buds, stems, flowers, fruits
Root


Below ground
roots, tubers, rhizomes
Plant Cells

Formed at meristems.


Mitosis in meristem produces new cells.
Two types of meristems.


Apical – produces primary growth, ex. tip
of root or shoot.
Lateral – produces secondary growth, ex.
cambium.
Apical Meristem
Lateral Meristem
Cells are grouped into tissues.



Dermal
Ground
Vascular
Cell Types
Epidermal
Ground
Vascular
Zea mays L. leaf cross section
Dermal Tissue



Covers outer surface of herbaceous
plants.
Composed of epidermal cells that
secrete the waxy cuticle.
Waxy cuticle protects against water
loss.
Ground Tissue


Bulk of the primary plant body.
Composed of parenchyma,
collenchyma, and sclerenchyma.
Parenchyma
Parenchyma
pineapple
Collenchyma
Celery
Schlerenchyma
used to make rope
Vascular Tissue


Transports food, water, hormone, and
minerals.
Composed of xylem, phloem,
parenchyma, and cambium.
Vascular tissue
Xylem
Dutchmens pipe
Dicot stem
Vegetative Structures



Roots
Stem
Leaf
Roots





Tap root
Fibrous root
Adventitious root
Tuberous root
Aerial root
Roots
Tuberous
Taproot
Fiberous
Taproots
Stem Anatomy





Bud – undeveloped shoot.
Node – Location of leaf or bud on stem.
Internode – Space between nodes.
Pith – Spongy tissue in the center of the
stem.
Lenticel – Pore in the outer layer of the
stem.
Stem
Stem Modifications





Tuber – underground stem with nodes
Rhizome – underground stem with buds
Stolon – aboveground stem with shoot
buds
Bulb – underground stem with fleshy
leaves
Corm – underground stem with papery
leaves
Modified Stem
Tendril
Thorn
Onion set
Rhizome
Modified Stem II
Asparagus
Stolon
Growth Form




Herb
Shrub
Tree
Vine
Growth Cycle





Annual – single season
Biennial – two seasons
Perennial – multiple seasons
Evergreen – leaves persist > 2 seasons
Deciduous – leaves die in cold or dry
Leaf Parts




Petiole
Blade
Stipule
Axillary bud
Leaf Structure
Blade
Stipule
Axillary Bud
Petiole
Leaf Arrangement



Alternate
Opposite
Whorled
Leaf form


Simple
Compound


Pinnate
Palmate
Vein Arrangement




Pinnate
Palmate
Parallel
Dichotomous
Dichotomous
Leaf Shape






Ovate
Elliptic
Oblong
Lanceolate
Linear
Orbicular






Cordate
Hastate
Sagittate
Peltate
Perfoliate
Terete
Leaf Margins





Entire
Serrate
Doubly serrate
Dentate
Crenate




Undulate
Revolute
Crisped
Lobed
Misc. Vegetative Structures

Thorns


Spines


modified stems (Honey Locust)
modified leaves (Cactus)
Prickles

epidermal outgrowth (Rose)
Reproductive Structures


Flowers
Fruits
Floral Parts







Pedicel
Sepal
Petal
Perianth
Stamen
Carpel
Pistil
Flower
Floral Symmetry

Actinomorphic (regular)
Many axes of symmetry,
i.e.. the same wherever you cut it.


Zygomorphic
One axis of symmetry,
i.e.. can only cut one way.

Inflorescence Types
Solitary
Spike
Spadix
Spikelet
Whorl
Panicle
Raceme
Umbel
Compound
Umbel
Fruit Types




Dry, indehiscent fruit
Dry, dehiscent fruit
Fleshy fruit
Other
Dry, indehiscent fruits




Achene (lettuce)
Samara (maple)
Caryposis (wheat)
Nut (almond)
Dry, Dehiscent Fruit




Legume (soybean)
Capsule (tobacco)
Silique (Arabidopsis)
Schizocarp (maple)
Fleshy Fruits






Drupe (peach, nectarine)
Berry (tomato)
Pepo (cucumber)
Hesperidium (citrus)
Hip (rose)
Pome (apple, pear)
Other Fruit Types

Aggregate


Multiple


mature ovaries from separate pistils of one flower
(ex. raspberry)
mature ovaries from separate pistils of several
flowers (ex. pineapple)
Accessory

fruit is something other than ovary tissue (ex.
strawberry is a swollen receptacle, seeds are
achenes)
Placentation
Marginal
Axile
Free central
Apical
Parietal
Basal
Ovary Position
Hypogynous
(above calyx)
Perigynous
(within the
floral cup)
Epigynous
(below calyx)
Monocots vs. Dicots




One cotyledon
Parallel leaf veins
Flower parts often in
multiples of three
Vascular bundles
scattered in stem




Two cotyledons
Netlike leaf veins
Flower parts often in
multiples of 4 or 5
Vascular bundles in
a ring in the stem
Other Anatomy Terms
Leaf
section
Cell sketch
Roots
Other Terms
Grape Cane
Section