Morphology, Anatomy & Reproduction of Flowering Plants – Master Vocabulary

Comprehensive vocabulary cards covering morphology, anatomy, taxonomy, and reproduction topics from the lecture notes. Use them to reinforce definitions of key botanical terms for exam preparation.

Plant Morphology

Study of the external form and structure of plants and their parts.

Sporophyte

Diploid phase of a plant that produces spores; typical body of an angiosperm.

Root System

Underground descending organ that anchors plant and absorbs water and minerals.

Shoot System

Aerial part of plant consisting of stem, leaves, flowers and fruits.

Tap Root

Primary root developing directly from radicle; bears lateral roots.

Adventitious Root

Root developing from any part other than the radicle.

Fusiform Root

Spindle-shaped fleshy tap root as in radish.

Conical Root

Cone-shaped fleshy tap root as in carrot.

Napiform Root

Top-swollen globular tap root quickly tapering downwards; e.g., turnip.

Nodulated Root

Tap root bearing nitrogen-fixing nodules formed by Rhizobium in legumes.

Pneumatophore

Negatively geotropic, aerating root in mangroves; bears pneumathodes.

Prop Root

Column-like adventitious root descending from branches for support (banyan).

Stilt Root

Obliquely growing supporting root from basal nodes (maize, sugarcane).

Epiphytic Root

Velamen-covered aerial root in orchids absorbing atmospheric moisture.

Haustorial Root

Sucking adventitious root of parasites like Cuscuta that penetrates host tissues.

Stem Node

Point on stem where leaves or branches arise.

Internode

Portion of stem between two successive nodes.

Culm

Jointed, hollow-internode stem of grasses such as bamboo and sugarcane.

Caudex

Unbranched, columnar stem with crown of leaves at apex (coconut, cycas).

Pseudostem

False stem formed by enveloping leaf bases (banana).

Runner

Prostrate, long-internode sub-aerial stem that roots at nodes (lawn grass).

Stolon

Sub-aerial stem that first grows above ground then bends to soil to root (strawberry).

Sucker

Obliquely rising branch from underground stem node (chrysanthemum, banana).

Offset

Short, thickened, horizontal branch in water plants forming rosettes (Eichhornia).

Rhizome

Horizontal, underground stem with nodes, internodes and scale leaves (ginger).

Corm

Vertically oriented, solid, swollen underground stem (Colocasia, gladiolus).

Tuber

Swollen tip of underground stem branch (potato); bears ‘eyes’ (buds).

Bulb

Short underground stem with fleshy scale leaves storing food (onion, garlic).

Thorn (Stem)

Woody, pointed, axillary branch modified for defense (citrus, bougainvillea).

Phylloclade

Flattened, green, many-internode stem performing photosynthesis (Opuntia).

Cladode

Short, single-internode photosynthetic stem branch (Asparagus).

Bulbil

Fleshy axillary or floral bud functioning as vegetative propagule (Agave, Dioscorea).

Leaf Base

Lowest part of leaf attaching to stem; may form sheath or pulvinus.

Stipule

Lateral leaf appendage at base; foliaceous in pea.

Petiole

Leaf stalk; may be swollen and spongy in Eichhornia (floating petiole).

Phyllode

Flattened, green petiole replacing lamina in Acacia auriculiformis.

Venation

Pattern of vein arrangement in lamina; reticulate in dicots, parallel in monocots.

Phyllotaxy

Arrangement of leaves on stem node to obtain maximum light exposure.

Leaf Tendril

Leaf or leaf part modified into wire-like coiling organ for climbing (pea).

Leaf Spine

Leaf or part transformed into hard pointed structure for defense (Opuntia).

Leaf Bladder

Inflated leaf segment trapping insects in Utricularia.

Inflorescence

Mode of arrangement of flowers on specialized shoot (peduncle).

Racemose Inflorescence

Main axis grows indefinitely; flowers arranged acropetally (radish, wheat).

Cymose Inflorescence

Main axis terminates in flower; subsequent flowers basipetal (Jasmine).

Umbel

Shortened axis with pedicels of equal length from a common point (coriander).

Spikelet

Basic unit of grass inflorescence consisting of florets and glumes (wheat).

Capitulum (Head)

Dense, flat receptacle bearing sessile florets; characteristic of Asteraceae.

Cyathium

Cup-shaped inflorescence of Euphorbia with one female and many male flowers.

Hypanthodium

Fleshy, enclosed receptacle bearing flowers inside (fig).

Flower

Reproductive shoot with modified leaves forming four whorls.

Actinomorphic

Radially symmetrical flower; can be divided into equal halves by any plane.

Zygomorphic

Bilaterally symmetrical flower; divisible into mirror halves by one plane only.

Hypogyny

Floral condition where ovary is superior and other whorls are below it.

Epigyny

Ovary inferior; other floral parts arise above it (cucumber, sunflower).

Perigyny

Ovary half-superior, half-inferior, surrounded by hypanthium (rose).

Aestivation

Arrangement of sepals or petals in bud; e.g., valvate, imbricate, vexillary.

Tetradynamous

Androecium with six stamens – four long, two short (mustard).

Didynamous

Androecium with four stamens – two long, two short (Ocimum).

Monoadelphous

Filaments fused into one bundle (Malvaceae).

Diadelphous

Stamens united into two bundles (pea).

Syngenesious

Anthers fused forming tube around style; filaments free (Asteraceae).

Placentation

Arrangement of ovules inside ovary; e.g., marginal, axile, parietal, basal.

Marginal Placentation

Ovules on one suture of monocarpellary ovary (legumes).

Axile Placentation

Ovules on central axis in multilocular ovary (tomato, hibiscus).

Parietal Placentation

Ovules on ovary wall in unilocular ovary (mustard, cucurbits).

Basal Placentation

Single ovule at base of unilocular ovary (sunflower).

Fruit

Mature, fertilized ovary sometimes with accessory parts.

Drupe

Fleshy fruit with stony endocarp (mango, coconut).

Berry

Fleshy fruit with entire pericarp edible, seeds embedded (tomato).

Pepo

Berry with hard rind pericarp; characteristic of Cucurbitaceae.

Pome

False fruit with edible thalamus enclosing true fruit (apple, pear).

Caryopsis

Dry indehiscent one-seeded fruit with pericarp fused to seed coat (wheat).

Cypsela

Dry indehiscent fruit from inferior ovary with pappus (sunflower).

Legume

Dry dehiscent fruit splitting along two sutures (pea, bean).

Siliqua

Long dry fruit dehiscing from both sutures with replum (mustard).

Aggregate Fruit

Cluster of simple fruits (etaerio) from apocarpous ovary (custard apple).

Multiple Fruit

Fruit developing from an entire inflorescence (jackfruit, mulberry, fig).

Meristem

Tissue with actively dividing cells responsible for growth.

Apical Meristem

Meristem at tips of roots and shoots causing primary growth.

Intercalary Meristem

Meristem located between mature tissues; elongates internodes (grasses).

Lateral Meristem

Meristem along sides of organs (vascular cambium, cork cambium) causing secondary growth.

Parenchyma

Living, thin-walled simple tissue functioning in storage and photosynthesis.

Collenchyma

Living mechanical tissue with unevenly thickened cell walls rich in pectin.

Sclerenchyma

Dead tissue with lignified thick walls providing rigidity; fibres & sclereids.

Xylem

Complex tissue conducting water/minerals upward and providing support.

Phloem

Complex tissue transporting organic food bidirectionally in plants.

Tracheid

Elongated, dead xylem cell with bordered pits; primitive water conductor.

Vessel Element

Short, wide xylem cell with perforation plates; forms continuous tube in angiosperms.

Sieve Tube

Phloem conducting element with sieve plates; living but enucleate at maturity.

Companion Cell

Nucleated phloem cell adjoining sieve tube; controls its functions.

Cambium

Lateral meristem producing secondary xylem inward and secondary phloem outward.

Annual Ring

Layer of spring wood plus autumn wood produced in one growing season.

Heartwood

Central, dark, non-conducting, durable secondary xylem of old stem.

Sapwood

Outer, light-colored, active conducting secondary xylem.

Periderm

Protective secondary covering composed of phellem, phellogen, and phelloderm.

Lenticel

Raised pore in periderm permitting gas exchange.

Stele

Central vascular cylinder of root or stem.

Radial Vascular Bundle

Xylem and phloem on alternate radii, typical of roots.

Collateral Bundle

Xylem and phloem in same radius; open in dicot stem, closed in monocot stem.

Bicollateral Bundle

Xylem sandwiched between inner and outer phloem (cucurbits).