DETAILED REPORT OF GROUP 3 -INTRODUCTION TO PLANT IDENTIFICATION..docx

Vegetative Characters

Vegetative Characters

Non-reproductive parts of a plant, including leaves, stems, and roots, essential for plant identification due to their year-round presence and reliable features.

Plant Habit

Refers to the general growth form of a plant, categorized into herb, shrub, tree, and vine, aiding in plant classification and ecological understanding.

Leaf Life Span

Describes whether a plant retains its leaves year-round (evergreen) or sheds them seasonally (deciduous), crucial for species identification and ecological decisions.

Simple Vs

Differentiates between leaves with a single undivided blade (simple) and those divided into leaflets (compound), aiding in botanical descriptions and classifications.

Leaf Arrangement, Shapes, & Margins

Phyllotaxy classifies leaf arrangement as alternate, opposite, or whorled, while leaf shapes and margins provide descriptors like linear, deltate, toothed, lobed, aiding in plant identification.

Dichotomous Key

A tool used in biology to identify and classify organisms based on contrasting characteristics with two possible outcomes at each step.

Mekas Key

An advanced tool for identifying organisms, often used for more complex or flexible identification processes.

Flora

A systematic enumeration of plant species in a specific region, providing detailed information on taxonomy, habitat, and uses.

Gymnosperms

A group of plants that produce seeds not enclosed in an ovary, like conifers.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed within an ovary, including most plant species.

Native Flora

Plants growing naturally in a region without human intervention.

Non-native Flora

Plants intentionally introduced by humans into a new environment.

Thallophyta

Primitive plants lacking differentiated structures like roots, stems, or leaves, such as algae.

Bryophytes

Plants with a differentiated body but lacking a vascular system for water conduction, like mosses.

Pteridophyta

Oldest vascular plants with tissues for water conduction, but unclear reproductive organs and naked embryos.

Native Flora

Plants that have evolved in a specific area without human intervention, well-adapted to local conditions.

Exotic Flora

Non-native plants introduced to a region by humans, potentially threatening local biodiversity.

Endemic Flora

Plants exclusively found in one geographic location, vulnerable to extinction due to limited distribution.

Agricultural Flora

Plants grown by humans for food, fiber, or medicinal purposes, essential in agriculture ecosystems.

Invasive Flora

Non-native plants that spread rapidly, outcompeting native species and disrupting ecosystems.

Oxygen Production

Vital process by plants through photosynthesis, essential for most living organisms.

Food Source

Plants form the base of the food chain, providing nutrients to animals and humans.

Ecological Stability

Plants regulate water cycles, prevent erosion, and contribute to soil formation.

Biodiversity

Plants support diverse habitats, food sources, and protection for various organisms.

Climate Regulation

Plants like forests help moderate climates and regulate temperatures.

Medicinal Resources

Many plants are used to produce medicines and herbal remedies for various health conditions.

Aesthetic and Cultural Value

Plants contribute to the environment's beauty and hold cultural, spiritual, and recreational significance.

Shapes of plant leaf

Different shapes of leaves found in plants, which can be used as a characteristic for plant identification.

Dichotomous key

A tool used in biology for identifying unknown organisms based on a series of choices between alternative characteristics.

Flora

The plant life occurring in a particular region or time, often used in reference to a specific group of plants.

Taxonomic tool of flora

Tools and methods used for the classification and identification of plant species within a specific region.

Taxonomical aids

Flora, manual, monograph, and catalogues:Resources and materials used to assist in the classification and identification of plants, including flora guides, manuals, monographs, and catalogues.

Plant Systematics

A field of study that focuses on the evolutionary relationships and classification of plants based on genetic, morphological, and ecological characteristics.

Plant Taxonomy

The systematic evaluation of comparative data to classify and name plants based on their evolutionary relationships and shared characteristics.