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Botany
*Scientific study of plants
*Algae, fungi, lichens,
mosses, ferns, conifers,
flowering plants
Botanist
*Botanical research: increase and
improve medicines, foods, fibers,
building materials and other plant
products
*Conservationists: manage parks,
forests, range lands, wilderness areas
*Public health: solve pollution problems,
some plant species are sensitive to
pollutants
A. Characteristics of Plants
i. Multicellular eukaryotes
and photosynthetic
autotrophs
ii. Have cell walls made
of cellulose
iii. Have plastids which
store food (in the form of
starch)
iv. Reproduce sexually or
asexually
v. All green parts have
chloroplasts (a type of
plastid) which is a
pigment that reflects and
transmits green
vi. Other pigments are
chlorophyll a and b and
carotenoids (betacarotene). Beta-carotene
is the pigment that gives
fall foliage its yellow and
orange colors
B. Plant Evolution
i. 400 million years
ago (terrestrial) plants
called bryophytes
(mosses) were alive.
ii. Seedless vascular
plants (ferns)
iii. Gymnosperms
(conifers): produce
cones
iv. Angiosperms
(flowering plants)
*most deciduous
trees:
*flowers
*grass
v. Both gymnosperms
and angiosperms have
vascular tissue
C. Plant Anatomy
* Study of internal
structures. 2 main
systems, both have to be
around for a plant to
survive.
*Root system: need in soil.
Anchor plants, absorb
minerals and water.
*Shoot system: stems,
leaves, flowers, all
needed in air.
Photosynthetic organs,
transport water and
nutrients, store food.
D. Vascular Tissue
* Transports material
between roots and shoots
* 2 types
1. Xylem: transports
water and dissolved
minerals up from roots
2. Phloem: transports
food made in leaves
(photosynthesis) to roots
and to nonphotosynthetic parts of
shoot system.
E. Plant Reproduction
*Flowers
are the
reproductive
organs.