Plant Structures Plants are cool! Adapted by Mr. Zindman

This process is called photosynthesis! Plants are multicellular organisms that make their own food. Like animals, plants have specialized structures that help them carry out their life functions. This process is called photosynthesis! Water+CO2= O2+ energy

The Parts of a Plant The main parts of a plant are the leaves, stems, roots, and flowers. These parts are labeled in the diagram below.

Leaves are the plant structures that make glucose! The leaf is the plant structure that makes most of a plant's food. Leaves are usually green because the cells in leaves contain large numbers of chloroplasts. Recall that the chloroplast is the organelle that carries on photosynthesis, the process of making food. The leaf is the plant structure that makes most of a plant's food. Leaves are usually green because the cells in leaves contain large numbers of chloroplasts. Recall that the chloroplast is The organelle that carries on photosynthesis, the process of making food. Leaves are the plant structures that make glucose!

A stem supports the leaves of the plant. The stem is the plant structure that holds up the leaves. Leaves need sunlight in order to make food. The stem holds the leaves in position to capture as much of the Sun's energy as possible. The stem also is able to grow, making the plant taller and wider. The stems of trees can grow very tall. The walls of the cells in the stem, or trunk, of a tree contain a compound called lignin, which makes the cell wall tough and strong. A stem supports the leaves of the plant.

Roots anchor the plant and also absorb the nutrients! The root of a plant is the structure that anchors the plant in the soil and absorbs water and nutrients. In some plants, roots also store food for the plant. When you eat a "root vegetable," such as a carrot, you are eating food stored by the plant. Roots anchor the plant and also absorb the nutrients!

We have two types of roots and they are tap and fibrous roots. There are two kinds of root systems, fibrous roots and taproots. As you can see in the drawing below, a taproot system has one main, deep root, with smaller roots branching from it. Trees all have taproots. A fibrous root system has many roots that are the same size. There is no main root. Grasses have fibrous roots. We have two types of roots and they are tap and fibrous roots.

Vascular tissue in plants move water and food in plants. Plants contain vascular tissue, made up of cells that form tubes through which water and food move in the plants. These tubes form a continuous system in the plant. Water enters the plant at the roots, moves up through the root and the stem, and into the leaves. Food made in the leaves moves down through the stem to the root, where it is stored. Vascular tissue in plants move water and food in plants.

The ovary of the plant becomes the fruit we eat! The flower is the reproductive structure of a plant. The male part of a flower is the stamen. The female part is the pistil, which contains the ovary. When a plant reproduces, the ovary becomes the fruit, which contains the seeds. The ovary of the plant becomes the fruit we eat!

Specialized Plant Structures The main purpose of a leaf is to make food for the plant. But in some plants, leaves have special functions and look very different from other leaves. The spines of a cactus are actually modified leaves. However, these leaves do not carry out photosynthesis. Their shape saves water for a plant that grows in a desert environment. My spines save water!

The stems in the cactus make food for the plant! The stem of a cactus is different from the stems of other plants. The fleshy stems of a cactus are specialized to store water for the plant. Also, because the leaves do not carry out photosynthesis, the stems of a cactus are green and make food for the plant. The stems in the cactus make food for the plant!

The End