Plants Glossary

Cell wall

A rigid layer made of cellulose that supports the plant cell and maintains its shape.

Vacuole

A large fluid-filled space containing cell sap that maintains turgor and stores substances.

Chloroplast

An organelle containing chlorophyll where photosynthesis takes place.

Root

The part of the plant that anchors it in the soil and absorbs water and mineral ions.

Stem

The part of the plant that supports the leaves and flowers and transports substances.

Leaf

The main organ for photosynthesis, adapted for absorbing light and gas exchange.

Flower

The reproductive organ of a plant, involved in sexual reproduction.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants use light energy to make glucose from carbon dioxide and water, producing oxygen.

Glucose

A simple sugar produced in photosynthesis and used in respiration.

Starch

An insoluble carbohydrate made from glucose and used as a storage substance in plants.

Palisade mesophyll layer

A layer of tightly packed cells near the upper surface of the leaf where most photosynthesis occurs.

Spongy mesophyll layer

A layer of loosely packed cells with air spaces that allows gas exchange.

Stomata

Small pores on the leaf surface that allow gas exchange and transpiration.

Xylem

Tissue that transports water and mineral ions from roots to the rest of the plant.

Phloem

Tissue that transports sugars and amino acids around the plant.

Root hair cell

A specialised cell with a large surface area that absorbs water and mineral ions from the soil.

Diffusion

The movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration.

Osmosis

The diffusion of water through a partially permeable membrane from a higher to a lower water concentration.

Transpiration

The loss of water vapour from plant leaves through the stomata.

Pollination

The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma.

Sepal

A leaf-like structure that protects the flower bud.

Petal

A coloured structure that attracts pollinators.

Anther

The part of the stamen that produces pollen grains.

Filament

The stalk that supports the anther.

Stigma

The sticky top of the carpel that receives pollen.

Style

The tube that connects the stigma to the ovary.

Ovary

The part of the flower that contains ovules and develops into a fruit.

Seed

A structure containing an embryo plant and a food store.

Ovule

The structure that contains the female gamete and develops into a seed after fertilisation.

Sperm

The male gamete that fertilises the female gamete.

Germination

The process by which a seed develops into a seedling, requiring water, oxygen and a suitable temperature.