The parts of the plant are the roots, leaves, stem, flowers and fruits.
Each part performs an important function for the plant, as well as the organs of the human body.
In short, leaves carry out respiration and photosynthesis; roots absorb substances from the soil; the stem supports the vegetable; and the flowers and fruits are related to reproduction.
Parts of plants and their functions
Division of parts of a plant
Each part of the plant has a role for the plant to feed, breathe, grow and reproduce.
However, it is worth mentioning that these parts are not present in all plants.
For example, mosses and ferns do not have flowers or fruits and reproduce through spores. The leaves of cacti, on the other hand, have changed during their evolutionary process, giving rise to thorns.
Despite these differences between members of the Plant Kingdom, it is important to know each part of the plant and its functions.
In sequence. we present the main characteristics and some examples of the parts of the plant.
Sheets
Leaves come in a wide variety of shapes.
The leaf is the part of the plant responsible for carrying out photosynthesis, the process through which the plant produces its own food.
In the cells of the leaves there are many structures called chloroplasts that contain chlorophyll, the pigment that gives the plant its green color. Chlorophyll also absorbs sunlight for photosynthesis to take place.
In the leaves also happens respiration and transpiration. These two processes are possible because on the surface of the leaf there are structures called stomata, which open and close, allowing the entry and exit of gases and water from the plant.
Leaves can be classified according to the arrangement of the blade, which is the best known part of the leaf. Thus, it can be simple or compound, like clover and palm leaves.
Also read about the elements that make up the sheet :
- Chloroplasts
- Chlorophyll
- stomata
roots
The roots have shapes related to their function
The roots help to fix the plant to the soil and are responsible for absorbing essential substances, such as water and mineral salts. In addition, they conduct substances and also act as a reserve.
There are different types of roots, but generally speaking, there is a main primary root and several branches that are the lateral roots.
Examples of roots include:
- corn, beans and coffee, which have underground roots;
- cassava, carrots and beets, which have tuberous roots;
- the vine with a sucking root;
- the fig tree, which has a strut-like root.
In addition to these, there are still aquatic roots, such as the water lily.
See also: Types of roots
stems
Stems transport nutrients produced in photosynthesis
The stem supports the plant and transports substances through the plant.
Water and mineral salts are carried through vessels inside the stem, from the roots to the leaves, and the sugars (produced in photosynthesis) are transported from the leaves to the roots. It is in the stem that plant hormones are produced , helping in the growth and development of the plant.
Generally, the stems are aerial and vertical, as in the case of tomatoes or tree trunks. There are also vegetables that have stems that grow close to the ground, and others that are underground, such as bananas and ginger.
See also: Types of stem
Flowers
Flowers are colorful and attractive
The flowers are responsible for the reproduction of the plant. They are present only in the most evolved group of plants called angiosperms .
Flowers can be hermaphrodite or monoecious when they have both female (carpels) and male (stamens) structures at the same time. An example of this type of flower are tulips, which can also have their structures separated into different flowers, called dioecious, as is the case with the papaya tree.
See also: Types of flowers and their functions
fruits
The fruits are found the seeds
The fruits are usually the result of the development of the ovary after fertilization.
Inside the fruit are found the seeds, which are the developed ovules. The seeds, if they find appropriate conditions, germinate in the soil originating new plants.
