Morphology and Characteristics of Angiosperms

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the morphology, habitats, life cycles, and modifications of angiosperm roots and stems.

Angiosperms

Higher plants that have well developed roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds; seeds are enclosed in fruits for protection and dispersal.

Annuals

Plants that complete their life cycle in one year or one season, such as Wheat, maize, rice, gram, and bajra.

Biennials

Plants that complete their life cycle in two years, with only growth in the first year and flowering/fruit formation in the second year.

Perennials

Plants that live for many years and complete their life cycle in more than two years, such as Neem, Peepal, and Banyan.

Xerophytes

Plants of dry places that grow in conditions of low rainfall, high temperature, and less moisture in soil and atmosphere.

Hydrophytes

Plants found in water or very moist places that absorb water and minerals through their entire body surface.

Mesophytes

Plants that grow in places with normal moisture and temperature; they have tap roots in dicots and fibrous roots in monocots.

Halophytes

Plants that grow in saline soil and water, using high cytoplasm concentration to help in absorbing water via osmotic pressure.

Epiphytes

Plants that grow on other plants for support but do not take food from the host, such as Orchids and Bromeliads.

Radicle

The part of the embryo from which the root system originates.

Positive Geotropism

The growth characteristic where the root grows towards gravity.

Positive Hydrotropism

The growth characteristic where the root grows towards water.

Negative Phototropism

The growth characteristic where the root grows away from light.

Zone of Root Cap

Found at the tip of the root to protect it from damage; in aquatic plants, it is absent or replaced by root bladders.

Zone of Meristems

Also called the cell division zone, where cells divide continuously via mitosis to increase the cell count.

Zone of Elongation

Located just behind the meristematic zone, where cells increase in length and size, responsible for the increase in root length.

Zone of Maturation

The last zone where cells lose the ability to divide and possess many unicellular root hairs for absorption.

Tap Roots

A thick, long primary root developed from the radicle that gives rise to lateral (secondary) and tertiary roots; mostly found in dicot plants.

Adventitious Roots

Roots that develop from parts of the plant other than the radicle, such as the stem, leaves, or branches.

Fibrous Roots

A type of adventitious root where many thin roots of the same size arise in a bunch without a main root.

Prop Roots

Roots that arise from the stem or branches and grow downwards into the soil to provide mechanical support, as seen in the Banyan tree.

Fusiform

A root modification for food storage where the root is swollen in the middle and narrow towards both ends, such as the Radish.

Conical

A root modification for food storage where the upper part is broad and narrows towards the base, such as the Carrot.

Napiform

A root modification where the upper part is swollen for food storage and the base is shortly pointed like a fibre, such as Turnip and Beetroot.

Tuberous Root

Roots that become swollen and form indefinite round shaped structures, such as Mirabilis (Four o'clock).

Pneumatophores

Modified respiratory roots in marshy areas where $O_2$ is absent in soil, enabling gas exchange, such as in Rhizophora.

Fasciculate Roots

Adventitious roots that arise in a group or cluster from the base of the stem for food storage, such as Dahlia.

Nodulous Roots

Roots that become swollen specifically at their tips due to the storage of food, such as Curcuma (Turmeric).

Moniliform Roots

Roots swollen at regular intervals like beads of a necklace due to stored food, such as Basella.

Sucking Roots

Also called parasitic or haustorial roots, they penetrate host plant tissues to suck nutrients, such as Cuscuta.

Hydroscopic Roots

Roots that absorb moisture or humidity from the atmosphere, such as Vanda and Dendrobium.

Assimilatory Roots

Green, photosynthetic roots that help in the formation of food, such as Tinospora.

Leaf Roots

Buds at the margins of leaves that produce roots to help in vegetative reproduction, such as Bryophyllum.

Stilt Roots

Roots arising from the basal nodes of the stem that grow obliquely into the soil to provide support, such as in Maize and Sugarcane.

Climbing Roots

Roots that develop from nodes to help the plant climb walls or supports to reach sunlight, such as Money plant.

Plumule

The part of the germinated seed from which the stem develops.

Nodes

The specific points on a stem where leaves are attached.

Internodes

The segment of the stem located between two successive nodes.

Apical Bud

Meristematic tissue at the tip of the stem that facilitates primary growth and increase in length.

Rhizome

An underground modified stem that grows horizontally, is thick and fleshy, and bears scale leaves and buds, such as Ginger.

Stem Tuber

An underground swollen stem containing 'eyes' or buds used for food storage, such as a Potato.

Creeper

A plant with a weak stem that grows along the ground in a zig-zag manner, such as Cucurbits.

Climber

A plant with a weak stem that requires physical support to grow upwards, such as Pan.