Botany Anatomy (Large Scale)

Epidermis

Single layer of cells covered with waxy ctucile to reduce water loss

Root hairs

Single celled temporary extensions that massively increase surface area and water/nutrient absorption.

Cortex

Under epidermis provides structure and nutrient storage

Vascular bundles

Transport nutrients via xylem and phloem

Endodermis

Cortical layer in plant roots, a checkpoint for water and nutrient transport, surround vascular cylinder. Controls selective uptake forcing water/nutrients into cytoplasm and preventing unregulated apoplastic flow

Steele

Primary vascular system right after the endodermis containg pith and pericylce

Pith

Center of stem, often made of parenchyma that stores and transport nutrients

Pericycle

Vital cylinder of parenchyma or sclerenchyma between vascular tissue and endodermis. Initiates lateral root growth, contributes to vascular cambium, and facilitates secondary growth in dicots.

Vascular Cambium

Cylindrical layer of lateral meristematic tissue found in woody plants between xylem and pholem. Produce new vascular tissue to increases girth. Allows for perennial plants to grow inwidth seperating the bark and wood

Node

Points at which leaves, branches, and aerial roots attach to stem

Internode

Area between nodes

Axillary bud

Embryonic shoot located in the axil, between leaves petiole and stem. Potential growth point for new branches, flowers, or shoots.

Petiole

Stalk connecting leaf blade of the stem, leaf stalk

Apical bud

Primary growing point for the plants main stem, ensures apical dominance by producing auxin which travels downwards and suppresses lateral growing focusing on upward growth towards light.

Axil

Angle between petiole and stem

Blade

Broad flat portion of the leaf

Leaf base

Lowest part of blade, attachment point to petiole or stem

Vein

Vascular bundles of xylem and phloem branching off midrib, venules are smaller branchesm

Midrib

Continuation of petiole through leaf blade

Margin

Leaf edge

Erect Stems

Grow straight up without support. Trunks (caudex), bamboo (culm)

Weak

Incapable of standing up, needs to climb (ivy) or trail (creepers)

Reduced

Extremely small stem, remnant found atop large roots (carrots, or radishes)

Tendrils

Thin thread like for climbing

Cladodes/phylloclades

Flattened, green, fleshy stems that perform photosynthesis

Thorns

Sharp branches for protection

Subaerial

Grow horizontally along surface rooting at intervals

Runners

Slender stems creeping along the ground. Each point is a node

Stolons

Similar to runners, stems more curved. Forms new plants with heavy root system at each stop.

Offsets

Short, thick runner like structure in aquatic plants

Sucker

Orginates from underground stem nodes, grows up and outwards to form a new plant.

Rhizomes

Horizontal underground stems

Tubers

Swollen fleshy ends of an underground stem

Corms

Short vertical thickened underground stem

Bulb

Reduced stem surrounded by fleshy leaves

Taproots

Main root with small lateral roots, carrots, turnip, oak trees

Fibrous

Dense tangled roots, arise form base of the stem often shallow but wide spread. rice, corn, grass

Adventitous

Grow in unusual places like stems, leaves, or old roots. Ivy, banyan

Prop/stilt

Grow from the stem down for extra anchorage. Prop is vertical, stilt is diagonal.

Tuberous/storage

Often adventitious or taproot. Thick and fleshy for nutrient storage. Sweet potato, cassava

Aerial

Grows above ground to gather moisture from the air or to climb. Orchid, english ivy

Pneumatophores

Grows upwards out of waterlogged or oxygen low soil for gas. Mangrove, cypress. Aerial type

Epiphytic

Used to absorb moisture from the air. Aerial type

Butress

Large wide spreading, support for tall trees in shallow tropical soils. Bay fig tree, brazil nut tree

Hasturia

Penetrate other plants tissue to absorb water and nutrients. Mistletoe