Botany

Stem

The main structural axis of a plant that supports leaves, flowers, and fruits, and conducts water, nutrients, and photosynthates.

Internode

The segment of a plant stem between two nodes.

Axillary bud

A bud that develops in the axil of a leaf and has the potential to form a new branch or flower cluster.

Apical bud

The growing tip of a plant where new leaves and stems develop, responsible for primary growth.

Node

The part of a plant stem where leaves, branches, and flowers originate.

Photosynthesis (equation)

The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy:6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Chloroplast

The organelle in plant cells where photosynthesis occurs.

Monocot

A flowering plant with one seed leaf (cotyledon), parallel leaf veins, and scattered vascular bundles.

Dicot

A flowering plant with two seed leaves (cotyledons), net-like leaf veins, and vascular bundles in a ring.

Plant vs Animal cells

Plant cells have cell walls, chloroplasts, and large central vacuoles, while animal cells do not.

Vegetative organs

The non-reproductive parts of a plant, including roots, stems, and leaves.

Roots

The underground part of a plant that absorbs water and nutrients and anchors the plant.

Stems

The plant structures that support leaves and flowers and transport water, nutrients, and sugars.

Leaves

The primary sites of photosynthesis in a plant, consisting of a blade and petiole.

Blade

The broad, flat part of a leaf where photosynthesis occurs.

Petiole

The stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the stem.

Taproot

The main root that grows vertically downward and gives rise to lateral roots.

Lateral root

A root that extends horizontally from the taproot to provide additional anchorage and nutrient absorption.

Root hairs

Small hair-like extensions of root epidermal cells that increase surface area for absorption.

Root system

The entire network of roots in a plant, including the primary root and all lateral roots.

Shoot system

The above-ground part of a plant, including stems, leaves, and flowers.

Reproductive organs

The parts of a plant involved in reproduction, including flowers, cones, seeds, and fruits.

Flower/cone

The reproductive structures of angiosperms (flowers) and gymnosperms (cones).

Seeds

The fertilized ovules of a plant, containing an embryo and stored nutrients, encased in a protective coat.

Fruits

The mature ovary of a flower, containing seeds and often aiding in their dispersal.

Vascular vs nonvascular

Vascular plants have specialized tissues (xylem and phloem) for transporting water and nutrients, while nonvascular plants do not.

Gymnosperm vs Angiosperm

Gymnosperms are seed plants with exposed seeds (e.g., conifers), while angiosperms are flowering plants with seeds enclosed in fruits.

Pollination

The transfer of pollen from the male anther to the female stigma of a flower.

Vein

The vascular bundle in a leaf that provides structural support and transports water, nutrients, and photosynthates.

Guard cell

Specialized cells that surround and control the opening and closing of stomata.

Stomata

Small openings on the leaf surface that regulate gas exchange and water loss.

Cohesion

The attraction between molecules of the same substance, such as water molecules sticking together.

Adhesion

The attraction between molecules of different substances, such as water molecules sticking to plant cell walls.

Surface Tension

The cohesive force at the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist external force.

Hypertonic

A solution with a higher concentration of solutes compared to another solution, causing cells to lose water.

Plasmolyzed

A plant cell that has lost water and shrunk away from its cell wall due to being in a hypertonic solution.

Hypotonic

A solution with a lower concentration of solutes compared to another solution, causing cells to gain water.

Isotonic

A solution with an equal concentration of solutes as another solution, resulting in no net water movement into or out of cells.

Turgid

A plant cell that is full of water and firm, due to being in a hypotonic solution.

Flaccid/shrunken

A plant cell that is limp and less firm, due to water loss in an isotonic

Polar

A molecule with a distribution of charge leading to positive and negative ends.

Hydrogen bonds

hydrogen bonds are electrostatic attractions between a hydrogen atom bonded to a highly electronegative atom (like oxygen or nitrogen) and another electronegative atom in a different molecule or a different part of the same molecule.

Osmosis

The diffusion of water across a semipermeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration.

Concentration gradient

The difference in the concentration of a substance between two regions.

Transpiration

The process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, mainly leaves.

ABA(abscisic acid)

A plant hormone that regulates growth and development, including seed dormancy and response to stress.