Download Parts of a Plant

Grade 11 College Biology – Unit 4
Vascular Plants: Major Organs
Organ
Function
Root
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Absorbs water and minerals
Transports water and minerals to the stem
Anchors the plant
Absorbs oxygen from the soil
Stores sugar
In some legumes, provides a MUTUALISTIC SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP with
bacteria that convert nitrogen gas to ammonia. This is called FIXATION which puts
nitrogen into a form used by plants
Leaf
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Absorbs carbon dioxide from the environment
Stores some water (especially succulent plants such as cactus)
Traps light to perform photosynthesis (i.e., CHLOROPLASTS)
Provides site for PHOTOSYNTHESIS, a chemical reaction in which plants convert
radiant energy (light energy) into chemical energy (food energy or more specifically,
glucose) and CELLULAR RESPIRATION, the chemical reaction in which chemical
energy (glucose) is converted into usable energy for the plant.
Releases excess water to the environment OR prevents water loss
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Stem
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Supports the upper part of the plant
Transports water and minerals to the leaves
Transports sugar to the roots
Serves as storage site for food
Production of new living tissue (Stems have cells called MERISTEMS that annually
generate new living tissue).
Reproductive
Organs
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Produces seeds or spores
Within seeds, contains an embryonic plant and food source (cotyledon) for a new plant
to grow
May have flowers to attract insects or birds to aid in fertilization
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This diagram illustrates some of the major functions
with respect to food production, transport and
storage of three of the four primary parts of the
plant: (1) roots, (2) stem and (3) leaves.
Recall the formula for photosynthesis is:
6CO2 + 6H2O + energy --> 6O2 + C6H12O6
C6H12O6 is glucose
Grade 11 College Biology – Unit 4
Parts of a Plant
Label the Diagram