Chapter

25

Plant Structure a
nd Organization

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

Outline
Plant Organs

Roots

Roots

Organization

Stems

Diversity

Leaves

Monocots vs.
Eudicots

Stems
Organization
Diversity

Leaves

Epidermal Tissue

Organization

Vascular Tissue

Diversity

Plant Organs

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

Roots
Generally, the root system is at least
equivalent in size and extent to the shoot
system
Anchors plant in soil
Absorbs water and minerals
Produces hormones

Root hairs:
Projections from epidermal root hair cells
Greatly increase absorptive capacity of
root

Organization of
Plant Body

Vegetative Organs of Several

Eudicots

Stems

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

Shoot system of a plant is composed

of the stem, branches, and leaves
Stem is the main axis of a plant that
elongates and produces leaves
Nodes occur where leaves are attached
to the stem
Internode is region between nodes

Stem also has vascular tissue that

transports water and minerals

Leaves

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

Leaves are the major part of the plant

that carries on photosynthesis
Foliage leaves are usually broad and
thin
Blade - Wide portion of foliage leaf
Petiole - Stalk attaches blade to stem
Leaf Axil - Axillary bud originates

Tendrils - Leaves that attach to objects

Bulbs - Leaves that store food

Monocot vs. Eudicot

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

Monocots (Single cotyledon)

Cotyledons act as transfer tissue
Root vascular tissue occurs in ring
Parallel leaf venation

Eudicots (Two cotyledons)

Cotyledons supply nutrients to seedlings
Root phloem located between xylem arms
Netted leaf venation

Flowering Plants:
Monocots or
Eudicots

Plant Tissues

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

10

Epidermal Tissues
Contain closely packed epidermal cells
Covered with waxy cuticle

Roots contain root hairs

Lower leaf surface contain stomata
Woody plants covered by cork

Modifications of
Epidermal Tissue

11

Ground Tissue

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

12

Ground tissue forms bulk of a plant

Parenchyma cells:
Least specialized and are found in all organs
of plant
Can divide and give rise to more specialized
cells

Collenchyma cells:
Have thicker primary walls
Form bundles underneath epidermis
Flexible support to immature regions of the
plant

Ground Tissue
Cells

13

Ground Tissue

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

14

Sclerenchyma cells:
Have thick secondary walls
impregnated with lignin
Most are nonliving
Primary function is to support mature
regions of the plant
Fibers
Sclereids

Vascular Tissue

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

15

Xylem transports water and minerals

from the roots to the leaves
Tracheids
Long, with tapered ends
Pits

in end walls

Vascular

rays

Fibers

Vessel Elements
Larger, with perforated plates in their end
walls

Xylem
Structure

16

Ground Tissue

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

17

Sclerenchyma cells:
Have thick secondary walls
impregnated with lignin
Most are nonliving
Primary function is to support mature
regions of the plant
Fibers
Sclereids

Vascular Tissue

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

18

Phloem transports sucrose and other

organic compounds from the leaves to
the roots
Sieve-tube members are conducting cells
Contain cytoplasm but no nuclei
Channels in end walls
Plasmodesmata extend from one cell to
another through sieve plate

Phloem
Structure

19

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

Organization of Roots
Root apical meristem
Located in the root tip
Protected by root cap

Primary meristems are in the zone of

cell division
Zone of maturation contains fully
differentiated cells

20

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

Tissues of Eudicot Root

Epidermis
Cortex
Endodermis
Casparian Strip

Vascular Tissue
Pericycle

21

Eudicot
Roots

22

Branching of Eudicot
Root

23

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

Organization of Monocots Roots

Monocot roots:
Ground tissue of roots pith is
surrounded by vascular ring
Have the same growth zones as
eudicot roots, but do not undergo
secondary growth

24

Monocot
Root

25

Root Diversity

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

26

Primary root (taproot) - Fleshy, long

single root, that grows straight down
Stores food

Fibrous root system - Slender roots

and lateral branches
Anchors plant to soil

Adventitous roots - Roots develop

from organs of the shoot system
Prop roots

Root Diversity

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

27

Haustoria:
Rootlike projections that grow into host plant
Make contact with vascular tissue and
extract water and nutrients

Mycorrhizas:
Associations between roots and fungi
Assist in water and mineral extraction

Root nodules - Contain nitrogen-fixing

bacteria

Root
Diversity

28

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

Organization of Stems
Shoot apical meristem

Produces new cells that elongate and

increase stem length
Protected by terminal bud
Enveloped by leaf primordia
Specialized primary meristems
Protoderm
Ground

Meristem

Procambium

29

Woody
Twig

30

Shoot tip and Primary

Meristems

31

Herbaceous Stems

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

Mature nonwoody stems exhibit only

primary growth
Outermost tissue covered with waxy
cuticle
Stems have distinctive vascular
bundles
Herbaceous eudicots - Vascular bundles
arranged in distinct ring
Monocots - Vascular bundles scattered
throughout stem

32

Herbaceous Eudicot
Stem

33

Monocot
Stem

34

Woody Stems

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

35

Woody plants have both primary and

secondary tissues
Primary tissues formed each year from
primary meristems
Secondary tissues develop during first
and subsequent years from lateral
meristems

Woody Stems

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

36

Woody stems have no vascular tissue,

and instead have three distinct
regions
Bark
Wood
Pith

Secondary Growth of
Stems

37

Bark

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

38

Bark of a tree contains cork, cork

cambium, and phloem
Bark can be removed, but it is harmful
to the plant due to lack of organic
nutrient transport
Cork cells are impregnated with suberin
Gas exchange is impeded except at
lenticels

Wood

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

39

Wood is secondary xylem that builds

up year after year
Vascular cambium dormant during
winter
Annual ring is made up of spring wood
and summer wood

In older trees, inner annual rings,

heartwood, no longer function in
water transport

Three-year-old
Woody Twig

40

Tree
Trunk

41

Stem Diversity

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

42

Stolons:
Above-ground horizontal stems
Produce new plants when nodes touch
the ground

Rhizomes:
Underground horizontal stems
Contribute to asexual reproduction
Variations:

Tubers - Enlarged portions functioning in

food storage
Corms - Underground stems that produce
new plants during the next season

Stem
Diversity

43

Leaf Diversity

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

Blade of a leaf can be simple or

compound
Leaves are adapted to environmental
conditions.
Shade leaves
Spines
Climbing leaves

44

Leaf
Structure

45

Classification of
Leaves

46

Leaf
Diversity

47

Plant Structure
and Organizati
on

Review
Plant Organs

Roots

Roots

Organization

Stems

Diversity

Leaves

Monocots vs.
Eudicots

Stems
Organization
Diversity

Leaves

Epidermal Tissue

Organization

Vascular Tissue

Diversity

48

Ending Slide
Chapter 25

Plant Structure a
nd Organization