Examining Parts of a Plant 8th Grade Exploring Agriculture Resources: http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/parts.html

Student Learning Objectives 1. Describe the parts of the plant. 2. Identify the reproductive structures of plants that exist in the flower. 3. Describe the difference between monocot and dicot flowers. 4. Explain the difference between pollination and fertilization. 5. Describe environmental factors that can influence the beginning of the flowering process.

Terms Anther Anthesis Complete flower Dicot Fertilization Filament Fruit Imperfect flower Incomplete flower Leaves Monocot Ovaries Ovule Perfect flower Petal Photoperiodism Phytochrome Pistil Pistillate flower

Terms cont. Pollen Vernalization Pollination Roots Seeds Sepal Stamen Staminate flower Stems Stigma Style

Parts of a Plant Roots Roots act like straws absorbing water and minerals from the soil. Tiny root hairs stick out of the root, helping in the absorption. Roots help to anchor the plant in the soil so it does not fall over. Roots also store extra food for future use.

Parts of a Plant Stems Stems do many things. They support the plant. They act like the plant's plumbing system, conducting water and nutrients from the roots and food in the form of glucose from the leaves to other plant parts. Stems can be herbaceous like the bendable stem of a daisy or woody like the trunk of an oak tree.

Types of Stems Herbaceous: Woody: Plants with stems that are usually soft and bendable. Herbaceous stems die back to the ground every year. Woody: Plants with stems, such as tree trunks, that are hard and do not bend easily. Woody stems usually don't die back to the ground each year.

Celery Sticks A celery stalk, the part of celery that we eat, is a special part of the leaf structure called a petiole. A petiole is a small stalk attaching the leaf blade of a plant to the stem. In celery, the petiole serves many of the same functions as a stem. It's easy to see the "pipes" that conduct water and nutrients in a stalk of celery. Here the "pipes" are dyed red so you can easily see them

Parts of a Plant Leaves Most plants' food is made in their leaves. Leaves are designed to capture sunlight which the plant uses to make food through a process called photosynthesis.

Parts of a Plant Flowers Flowers are the reproductive part of most plants. Flowers contain pollen and tiny eggs called ovules. After pollination of the flower and fertilization of the ovule, the ovule develops into a fruit.

Parts of a Flower Flower - reproductive part of flowering plants

Parts of a Flower cont… Sepals - green-like structures beneath the petals; offer protection to developing bud Sepal

Parts of a Flower cont… Petals - usually brightly colored; attract pollinators Petal

Parts of a Flower cont… Stamens - male reproductive part of flower

Parts of a Flower cont… Pistil - female reproductive part of the flower Pistil

Reproductive Structures Stamen Anther - produces the pollen Filament - stalk which supports the anther

Reproductive Structures cont… Pistil Stigma - has sticky surface to capture pollen Style - tube-like; connects stigma with the ovary Ovary - contains the ovules

Groups of flowers Complete flower - has all four major parts (sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils). Incomplete flower - lack one or more of the major parts Perfect flower – contains both stamens and pistils

Groups of flowers cont… Imperfect flower - lacks either stamens or pistils Pistillate flower - has pistils but no stamens Staminate flower - has stamens but no pistils

Monocot vs. Dicot Monocots - flower parts in multiples of 3 Dicots - flower parts in multiples of 4 or 5

Pollination and Fertilization Pollination - when a pollinator transfers pollen grains from anther to stigma Fertilization - when pollen fuses with the egg cell VIDEO: http://www.unitedstreaming.com Keyword: Pollen Trip; Title: The Pollen Trip

Influence on Flower Formation Photoperiodism - growth response of a plant to the length of day Vernalization - process by which floral induction in some plants is promoted by exposing the plants to cool temperatures for a certain length of time

Phytochrome - pigment in cytoplasm of green plants; associated with the absorption of light that affects growth, development, and differentiation including flowering of a plant, independent of photosynthesis Anthesis - release of pollen from the anther

Parts of a Plant Fruit Seeds Fruit provides a covering for seeds. Fruit can be fleshy like an apple or hard like a nut. Seeds Seeds contain new plants. Seeds form in fruit.

Review/Summary What are the major parts of flowers? What reproductive structures exist in the flower and what are their functions? How is a monocot flower different from a dicot flower? What is the difference between pollination and fertilization? Describe environmental factors that can influence the beginning of the flowering process.