17Vascular Plant Structure and Function

Flashcards about vascular plant structure, tissues and growth

What does the shoot system of a vascular plant typically include?

The above-ground portions, such as the stem and leaves.

What is the function of the root system in a vascular plant?

To grow downward and absorb water and minerals from the soil.

What is the terminal bud?

The growing tip of a shoot.

What is an axillary bud?

A bud that will form a side branch from a stem.

What is the leaf blade?

The wide portion of a leaf.

What is the leaf petiole?

A stalk that supports a leaf and attaches it to a stem.

What is the primary root?

The central, often largest, portion of the root.

What is a secondary root?

A branching root arising from the primary root.

What is meristematic tissue?

Plant tissue composed of cells that are able to divide repeatedly by mitosis.

What is growth in plants?

The increase in volume or dry weight of an organism.

What is differentiation in plant cells?

A change in the form of a cell, tissue, or organ to allow it to carry out a particular function.

What is dermal tissue?

Cells specialized for covering the outer surfaces of leaves, stems, and roots.

What is the epidermis?

The outermost layer of living cells.

What is ground tissue?

The internal nonvascular tissues of a plant that perform many functions, such as photosynthesis and food storage.

What is vascular tissue?

Tissue composed of cells specialized in transporting water and other substances among cells.

What is xylem?

Vascular tissue that transports water and minerals.

What is phloem?

Vascular tissue that transports sugars and other solutes through the plant.

What is a sieve-tube element?

A cell type in the phloem that lacks nuclei, mitochondria, or vacuoles, and has large pores through the cell walls at either end.

What is a sieve tube?

A long tube formed from many individual sieve-tube elements joined end to end.

What is a companion cell?

A phloem cell that contains a nucleus and other cell organelles, and that controls the cellular activity of sieve-tube elements.

What is an apical meristem?

A meristem located at any growing tip of shoots or roots, which contributes to increases in the length of plant tissues.

What is a lateral meristem?

A meristem located within a stem or root that contributes to increases in the diameter of plant tissues.

What is primary growth?

All growth of apical meristems and first-year growth of lateral meristems.

What is secondary growth?

All growth from lateral meristems occurring after the first year.