Meet the Plants

What makes a plant a plant? Plants differ from the animal kingdom in the following ways:

· Instead of semi permeable cell membranes, plants have rigid cell walls with pores.

· Plants make their own food (autotrophy) using the pigment chlorophyll, water, carbon dioxide gas, mineral elements, & energy from the sun. This process is known as photosynthesis.

Nomenclature (Scientific Names)

All organisms have an official name / epithet in Latin. This name has two parts, the first part is the Genus & the second is the Species name. Each species has its own unique name. This name is the same around the world regardless of modern regional languages. This name can change!

Common Names

Common names are dependent on the local language. Even in the same language common names for a particular plant may differ. One plant may have many common names & more than one plant may share the same common name. Using the common name can be helpful in retail nurseries for communication with the general public.

How are plants classified?

All plants are classified by the way they reproduce themselves & their ability to mate & produce viable offspring. The structure of the flower or reproductive organs is the chief diagnostic factor for identifying plants.

The Basics of Plant Identification

Plant Morphology

Plant Morphology is the study of the physical structures of the exterior of plants. This is the study of flowers, foliage, bark, branches & other structures on the outside of a plant.

Plant Anatomy

Plant Anatomy is the study of the physical structures of the interior of plants. This is the study of plant cells, metabolism, photosynthesis, hormones, structures & processes that occur inside the plant.