BIO211 Final Plant Vocab

Root system

the descending portion of the plant axis found below the soil

Shoot system

the part of a plant found above the soil.

Root

anchor plant and draw nutrients and water from soil

Stem

orientation, support and transport for plant

Leaves

Responsible for PH and gas exchange

Cotyledon

an embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants, one or more of which are the first leaves to appear from a germinating seed.

Eudicot

containing one cotyledon

Monocot

containing two cotyledons

Dermal tissue

protects from the environment; outermost layer [ex: cuticle, trichomes, root hairs, guard cells]

Ground tissue

PH, storage and structure; middle layer [ex: parenchyma, collenchyma, sclerenchyma]

Vascular tissue

transport of water, sugars and nutrients; inner most layer [ex: xylem and phloem]

Parenchyma

the most common type of ground tissue; thin primary walls that remain living when mature [PH/storage/wound healing]

Collenchyma

a type of ground tissue with thin walls and thick corners responsible for strong and flexible support that remains living when mature

Sclerenchyma

a type of ground tissue that is woody and thick that is dead when mature and responsible for strong rigid support

Spongy mesophyll

ground; the site of gaseous exchange for photosynthesis and respiration.

Palisade mesophyll

ground; responsible for PH

guard cells

dermal; has exchange and prevention of water loss

stomata

responsible for gas exchange and water retention

trichomes

dermal; protect from UV, herbivory and water loss

epidermis

prevents water loss

veins

transport water and sugars throughout plant

Root cap

Contain statocytes which are involved in gravity perception in plants

root hairs

a large number of elongated microscopic outgrowths from the outer layer of cells in a root, absorbing moisture and nutrients from the soil

Root apical meristem

a small region at the tip of a root in which all cells are capable of repeated division and from which all primary root tissues are derived

Xylem

vascular tissue responsible for transport of water and minerals via evapotranspiration (passive transport that relies on physics of water)

Phloem

vascular tissue responsible for PH and the transport of sugars which requires live cells for active transport (sugars move against gradient)

Apical Meristem

region of cells capable of division and growth in the root and shoot tips in plants; give rise to the primary plant body and are responsible for the extension of the roots and shoots.

Lateral meristem

Cell divisions here are responsible for increases in plant girth.

Active transport

a type of transport that requires energy to move substances

Passive transport

a type of membrane transport that does not require energy to move substances across cell membranes

Aquaporin

intrinsic membrane proteins that selectively allow water or other small uncharged molecules to pass along the osmotic gradient.

Ion channel

pore-forming membrane proteins that allow ions to pass through the channel pore

Proton pump

an integral membrane protein pump that builds up a proton gradient across a biological membrane.

Osmosis

a process by which molecules of a solvent tend to pass through a semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated solution into a more concentrated one, thus equalizing the concentrations on each side of the membrane.

Flaccid cells

cell in which the water flows in and out of the cell and is in equilibrium

Turgid cells

cells or tissues that are swollen from water uptake.

Turgor pressure

the force within the cell that pushes the plasma membrane against the cell wall.

Apoplast

the intercellular space filled with gas and water, contained between cell membranes

Symplast

the protoplasts present in plants, which are interconnected by the plasmodesmata. It is the inner part of the plasma membrane, which plays a vital role in transporting or free movement of water and other low-molecular-weight solutes such as sugars, amino acids, and other ions in between cells.

Casparian strip

is a band-like thickening in the center of the root endodermis of vascular plants. The composition of the region is mainly lignin; impervious to water so can control the transportation of water and inorganic salts between the cortex and the vascular bundle, preventing water and inorganic salts

Transpiration

the exhalation of water vapor through the stomata

Cohesion

the act, state, or process of sticking together of alike molecules or entities

Tension

As transpiration occurs, it deepens the meniscus of water in the leaf, creating negative pressure, it “pulls” water in the plant xylem, drawing the water upward

Stomata

microscopic pores in the shoot epidermis of plants, which serve as a low-resistance pathway for the diffusional movement of gas and water vapor between a plant and the environment

Guard cells

pairs of epidermal cells that control gas diffusion by regulating the opening and closure of stomatal pores.

Pressure flow

water containing food molecules flows under pressure through the phloem. The pressure is created by the difference in water concentration of the solution in the phloem and the relatively pure water in the nearby xylem ducts.

Translocation

The movement of sucrose and other substances like amino acids around a plant; In general, this happens between where these substances are made (the sources) and where they are used or stored (the sinks): from sources in the root to sinks in the leaves in early spring time.

Sieve tube elements

a tube consisting of an end-to-end series of thin-walled living plant cells characteristic of the phloem and held to function chiefly in translocation of organic solutes.

Sieve plates

the connection sites between sieve elements

Companion cells

a living nucleated cell that is closely associated in origin, position, and probably function with a cell making up part of a sieve tube of a vascular plant.

Source

the part of a plant where substances are produced

Sink

the part of the plant where the substrate can be stored

Loading

the process of loading carbon into the phloem for transport to different 'sinks' in a plant.

Unloading

the transfer of sugar from sieve tube elements to roots or other storage cells

Photosynthesis

the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar.

Nutrients

the chemical elements that are essential to the nourishment of plant health.

Mineral nutrients

the naturally occurring inorganic nutrient found in the soil and food that is essential for the proper functioning of animal and plant body,

Soil pores

the small voids between particles of soil.

Soil solution

the medium in which surface and solution reactions occur.

Essential elements

a plant cannot complete its life cycle without it, if no other element can perform the same function, and if it is directly involved in nutrition.

Macronutrients

the nutrients required by the plants in large amounts.

Micronutrients

essential plant nutrients that are found in trace amounts in tissue, but play an imperative role in plant growth and development.

Soil structure

the way individual particles of sand, silt, and clay are assembled.

Soil horizons

a layer parallel to the soil surface whose physical, chemical and biological characteristics differ from the layers above and beneath.

Fertility

the ability to sustain plant growth by providing essential plant nutrients and favorable chemical, physical and biological characteristics.

Leaching

a mass transfer process which takes place through the extraction of a substance from a solid material that has come into contact with the liquid.

Loam

A fertile soil that is made up of organic matter mixed with clay, sand, and silt.

Weathering

occurs when plants break up rocks with roots or root exudates. The process is slow, but may strongly influence landscape formation.

Cation exchange

occurs when nutrient cations are attracted to charged surface of cells within the root, When it occurs, the plant root releases a hydrogen ion. Thus, the pH of the immediately surrounding soil decreases

Organic fertilizers

slow acting, nonspecific, feeds soil over time, microbes in soil release nutrients from OM/waste

Inorganic fertilizers

fast, specific, targets specific deficiencies, big industrial producers

Mycorrhizae

mutually beneficial relationship between the root of a plant and a fungus that colonizes the plant root.

Rhizobia

Bacteria that fix nitrogen after becoming established inside the root nodules of legumes

Root nodules

found on the roots of plants, primarily legumes, that form a symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Nitrogenase

enzymes that are produced by certain bacteria, such as cyanobacteria and rhizobacteria. These enzymes are responsible for the reduction of nitrogen (N2) to ammonia (NH3).

Nitrogen Cycle

the biogeochemical cycle by which N is converted into multiple chemical forms as it circulates among atmospheric, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems

Carnivorous plants

plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods

Parasitic plants

plant that obtains all or part of its nutrition from another plant (the host) without contributing to the benefit of the host and, in some cases, causing extreme damage to the host.

Hemiparasites

a parasitic plant, as the mistletoe, which carries on some photosynthesis but obtains a portion of its food, water, or minerals from a host plant

Holoparasites

a parasitic plant that is not capable of photosynthesis and obtains all nutrients and water from a host plant.

Dormancy

a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and physical activity are temporarily stopped.

Quiescence

a kind of resting stage where there is no activity in a non-dormant seed. In other words, the seed development is stopped.

Germination

the sprouting of a seed, spore, or other reproductive body

Gibberellins

Drive germination, bolting and produce bigger fruit

Auxins

Phototropism, Gravitropism, Apical dominance, Cell expansion, new roots

Ethylene

Aging leaves and fruit ripening

Abscisic Acid

Germination inhibition, shutting stomata

Carpel

the female reproductive organ present in flowering plants; stigma, style, ovary

Stamen

the male reproductive part of a flower; Anther and filament

Pollen

a fine powder produced by certain plants when they reproduce.

Where Mitosis occurs

Spore -> gametophyte -> gametes and zygote -> multicellular sporophyte

Monoecious

A plant species in which male and female organs are found on the same plant but in different flowers

Dioecious

A plant species in which male and female organs appear on separate individuals.

Perfect flower

a flower that has male and female structures in one flower

Imperfect flower

a flower that does not have both male and female structures.

Double fertilization

A complex process where out of two sperm cells, one fuses with the egg cell and the other fuses with two polar nuclei which result in a diploid zygote and a triploid endosperm

Endosperm

3n part of a seed which acts as a food store for the developing plant embryo, usually containing starch with protein and other nutrients.

Embryo

2n part of a seed or bud that contains the earliest forms of a plant's roots, stem and leaves.

Fruit

fleshy or dry ripened ovary of a flowering plant, enclosing the seed or seed

Constitutive Defenses

traits that are always expressed within a plant; usually physical barriers to pathogens/herbivores