Download Mission 2 Glossary

Mission 2 Glossary
Mission 2 Glossary
air
substance needed by many living things including plants, animals,
and humans
anther
the male part of the flower that produces the pollen
bulb
a miniature packaged plant that contains everything needed to grow
a new plant, made up of special scale leaves and food for the plant
carbohydrate
an organic compound such as sugar or starch which provides
energy for living organisms
carbon dioxide
a gas from the air that is used by plants for photosynthesis, also
known as CO2
cells
the basic structural and functioning units of all living things
chlorophyll
green material in plants that is created in the presence of light and is
important for photosynthesis
waxy coating that protects the leaf
cuticle
cutting
a part of a plant's leaves, roots, or stem which is planted and grows
into a new plant
dormant
being in a resting state (not currently growing)
exhale
to breathe out
filament
fine stalk that holds up the anther
flower
reproductive part of a plant
fruit
ripe, mature ovary that contains seeds
germination
activation of a seed that causes it to start to grow
glucose
a simple sugar that plants make and use as food
gravitropism
the response of plants to gravity; roots move towards the pull of
gravity and shoots move away from the pull of gravity
Mission 2 Glossary
herbaceous
leaf
describes plants that have stems that are soft. These plants die
back to the ground in the winter.
green part of a plant that collects light and carbon dioxide for
photosynthesis
nutrients
sources of nourishment for living things that are important for growth
and survival
orient
to become adjusted and position oneself; to align with respect to a
point of reference
ovary
part of the female flower that contains the ovules
ovule
part of the ovary that becomes a seed
oxygen
substance released into the air by plants as a result of
photosynthesis. Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen
while humans take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide.
petal
specialized structure that protect the parts of a flower and also
attract birds and insects to help with pollination
photosynthesis
process by which a plant produces food using water, carbon dioxide,
and sunlight
pistil
female part of the flower that includes the stigma, style, and ovary
pollen
yellow powder-like material on the anthers which is necessary for a
plant to reproduce
pollination
movement of pollen from the anther to the stigma
root
underground part of a plant that collects water and nutrients from
the soil; also anchors the plant
cells at the very tip of a plant root containing particles that respond
to gravity and help direct the root to grow down
root tips
scale leaves
the small leaves inside a bulb that hold stored food for the bulb
seed
part of a plant that will grow into a new plant if the environmental
conditions are right; formed by the maturation of the ovule after
fertilization
seed coat
protective outer covering of a seed
Mission 2 Glossary
sepal
shoot
green leaf-like structures that cover a bud and later open up to
reveal the petals of a flower
emerges from a seed that has germinated and becomes the part of
the plant that grows upward
spore
seed-like structure that plants like ferns, mosses, and mushrooms
use to reproduce instead of a seed
stamen
male part of the flower that includes the anther and filament
statoliths
special starch grains in the bottom of root tips which tell the plant
which way is down
stigma
sticky surface on the end of the pistil that traps and holds pollen
stem
part of the plant which holds up the leaves and flowers and serves
as a highway to move water and nutrients through the plant
stomata
pores in leaves that allow plant to bring in carbon dioxide and
release oxygen
style
part of the female flower that holds up the stigma
tuber
a fat stem that grows underground and is used for storage for plants
tunic
the outside portion of a bulb that protects it from drying out
water
substance formed of hydrogen and oxygen needed by many living
things including plants, animals and humans
woody
describes plants that have stems that are hard and stiff, such as
trees