Types of Plants

There are many was to describe plant types within an ecosystem. For our purposes, we will keep it simple and group plants types by a plant’s form and structure. We give special focus to woody versus herbaceous plants, as well as where the plant is in the vegetative strata. Ideally, in a natural ecosystem, we […]

Fruit Types

A fruit, in botanical terms, is an organ of the plant that contains the seeds. Seeds are fertilized, mature ovules. The ovules are fertilized in a process that starts with pollination (discussed in more detail later in this module). Fruits, on the other hand, are ripened ovaries or pistils that contain the seeds. In angiosperms, the […]

Flower Types

Within the angiosperms, adaptations and exceptions to the rule are almost the norm when one examines the reproductive parts of plants. Some plants may have all the flower parts previously listed: stamen; pistil; sepals; and petals. In which case, those flowers are considered complete. Plants that have all the critical reproductive parts (pistil and stamen), […]

Flower Parts

When a person thinks of plants, it is likely that a flower comes to mind. Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms, comprise about 80% of all plant life on earth. Angiosperms have been successful in the plant kingdom in large part due to their ability to quickly adapt to environmental pressures and further their niches […]

Roots

Roots are an important organ of plants that are typically thought of as occurring below the surface of the soil. However, since roots can also occur above the surface of the soil, and since stems can occur below the soil surface, it is not accurate to define roots in this way. A more accurate definition […]

Stems & Vascular Tissue

The stems and vascular tissue of plants serve several vital functions. Stems provide support for leaves, helping to keep the leaves in light, as well as support for flowers and fruits. Stems also produce new living tissue allowing plants to grow and reproduce. The vascular tissue within stems forms the plant’s system for moving water, […]

Leaves

The leaves of a plant are thought of as the photosynthetic factories or food-producing organs of the plant. They are the major areas of photosynthesis and respiration. The blade is the usually broad, flat portion of the leaf where most photosynthesis and respiration take place. Other plant tissues can be photosynthetic, as well, but the […]

Respiration

Once the plant has its food made, it still has to break that food down into useful components. As with other organisms, such as people or fish, this process, called respiration, uses oxygen and produces carbon dioxide. In plants respiration mainly takes place at night when there is no photosynthesis occurring.

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Photosynthesis

Simply put, photosynthesis is the chemical combination of water and carbon dioxide in the presence of light to make sugar compounds. In reality, it is an incredibly complex process involving physical and chemical reactions through many steps. It is the process a plant uses to make the compounds that give it the energy to grow […]

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Life History

Plant science is the study of morphology and physiology, or the plainly visible and less obvious characteristics of plants that allow us to identify them. The life history of a plant is basically the length of time it lives. The two general types of life histories are annuals and perennials.   Annuals Annuals live for a […]

The MSP project is funded by an ESEA, Title II Part B Mathematics and Science Partnership Grant through the Montana Office of Public Instruction. MSP was developed by the Clark Fork Watershed Education Program and faculty from Montana Tech of The University of Montana and Montana State University, with support from other Montana University System Faculty.