V.

Plant Structure and

Function
Lloyd O. Balinado
Department of Biological Sciences
Cavite State University
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
PLANTS
Plants
Multicellular
Primarily terrestrial eukaryotes
Well-developed tissues
Autotrophic by photosynthesis
Protection of embryo
MAIN DIVISIONS
1. Non-Vascular Plants
Lack vascular tissue
No true roots, stems and leaves; only
rootlike, stemlike and leaflike structures
Usually small
Found in moist habitats
1. Non-Vascular Plants
Consist of 3 groups:
a. Hornworts
b. Liverworts
c. Mosses
Hornworts
Liverworts
Moss
2. Vascular Plants
With vascular tissues
Xylem conducts water and dissolved
minerals up from roots
Phloem conducts sucrose and other
organic compounds throughout the plant
Consist of higher group of plants
Vascular
Tissue
2. Vascular Plants
Subdivided into:
a. Seedless Vascular Plants
Spore-bearing including ferns and its allies
b. Seed Vascular Plants
Include the following:
1. Gymnosperms cone-bearing plants including
conifers, cycads, ginkgo and gnetophytes
2. Angiosperms flowering plants including
monocots and eudicots
Seedless Vascular Plants
Gymnosperms
Conifers
Ginkgo
Gnetophyte
Cycad
Angiosperms
Monocot vs. Eudicot
PLANT BODY ORGANIZATION
VEGETATIVE STRUCTURES
Vegetative Organs
Include the following:
1. Roots
2. Stems
3. Leaves
1. ROOT SYSTEM
Root System
Generally, the root system is at least
equivalent in size and extent to the
shoot system
Generally subterranean
Functions:
Anchors plant in soil
Absorbs water and minerals
Produces hormones

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

Root System
Adventitious
Roots:
Roots which
develop from
organs of the
shoot system
Examples: Prop
roots (corn,
pandan,
mangrove)
corn
pandan mangrove
Types of Root System
1. Taproot System
Characteristic of dicots
Primary root continues to
grow and send out lateral
smaller roots
Fleshy, long single root,
that grows straight down
Stores food

Types of Root System
2. Fibrous/Diffuse Root
System
Characteristic of
monocots
Slender roots and lateral
branches
Anchors plant to soil

2. SHOOT SYSTEM: STEMS
Stems
Main axis of a plant that elongates and
produces leaves
Has vascular tissue that transports
water and minerals
Generally epiterranean (aerial)
Can be herbaceous or woody


Stem
Functions:
For supporting leaves, flowers and fruits
For transport of water from roots to leaves
For translocation of food from leaves to all
parts of the plant

Metamorphosed Stems
a. Photosynthetic true to plants without
leaves
b. Tendrils for climbing
c. Thorn hard, woody, pointed; for
protection
d. Bulb enlarged, fleshy underground
bud

Metamorphosed Stems
e. Corm globose, perennial stem with
papery leaves
f. Stolon horizontal above-ground
stem; for reproduction
g. Rhizome horizontal underground
stem
h. Tuber enlarged end/tip of a rhizome

photosynthetic
tendrils
thorns bulb
3. SHOOT SYSTEM: LEAVES
Leaves
Major part of the plant that carries on
photosynthesis
Lateral outgrowth of the stem

Leaves
Functions:
For photosynthesis
For exchange of gases
For transpiration loss of water from the
leaves through the stomata

Metamorphosed Leaves
a. Reproductive leaves (kataka-taka,
cactus)
b. Bulb
c. For obtaining nutrition (pitcher plant)
d. For support (false trunk of banana)

kataka-taka
pitcher plant onion bulb false trunk of banana
Types of Leaf Venation
Venation - arrangement of veins over the leaf
blade:
1. Parallel Venation
Characteristic of monocots
Veins run parallel to each other
2. Netted Venation
Veins branch out repeatedly forming a network

Phyllotaxy
Phyllotaxy - Arrangement of leaves on a stem
and in relation to one another
1. Alternate/Spiral only one leaf at each node,
the following leaf opposite but on the other
side
2. Opposite leaves are paired on each side at
the same node
3. Whorled 3 or more leaves arising around
the same node

REPRODUCTIVE
STRUCTURES
Reproductive Organs
Include the following:
1. Flowers
2. Fruits
3. Seeds
1. FLOWERS
Flowers
Highly specialized shoot for sexual
reproduction
Facilitates gamete formation and
fertilization
Inflorescence the mode of
development and arrangement of
flowers on an axis
Essential Parts of a Flower
1. Stamen
Male reproductive and pollen-producing
structure
Parts:
a. Anther large terminal portion containing
pollen sacs
b. Pollen sacs cavities of the anther where
pollen grains are formed
c. Filament stalk of the anther
Essential Parts of a Flower
2. Pistil/Carpel
Female reproductive structure
Parts:
a. Ovary enlarged basal portion containing the
ovule
b. Ovule egg cell-containing cavities in the ovary
c. Stigma terminal sticky portion
d. Style long slender structure connecting ovary
to stigma
Accessory Parts of a Flower
1. Perianth
thin, expanded structures surrounding
the essential flower parts
a. Petal
Interior part of the perianth
Corolla collective term for petals of a single
flower
Usually colored
Accessory Parts of a Flower
b. Sepal
Exterior part of the perianth
Outermost part of a flower
Calyx collective term for sepals of a single
flower
c. Receptacle
The region of the floral shoot where the parts
of the flower are attached
The floral base
Accessory Parts of a Flower
2. Peduncle
The stalk of a flower in an inflorescence
Anatomy of a Flower
2. FRUITS
Fruits
Developed from the ovary wall of the
flower
Called the pericarp
Enclose the seed and help in its
dispersal
Usually edible
Distinct Layers of the Fruit
Wall
1. Exocarp
The outer layer usually forming the skin of the
fruit
2. Mesocarp
The middle layer usually the edible fleshy portion
3. Endocarp
The inner layer usually the hard shell around the
seed
3. SEEDS
Seeds
The enlarged matured ovule containing
the embryo and stored nutrient
Protected by seed coat
Structure of the Seed
1. Seed Coat
Outer covering of a seed
Protective structures that reduce
evaporation of water and attack of fungi
and insects
For dormancy
Structure of the Seed
2. Embryo
Miniature plant of the seed
Most important part of the seed
Structure of the Seed
2. Embryo
Parts:
a. Cotyledon food storage organs
b. Epicotyl portion above the point of attachment of
the cotyledons which becomes the shoot system
upon germination
c. Hypocotyl - portion below the point of attachment
of the cotyledons which becomes the root system
upon germination; the growing tip is called the
radicle
d. Plumule leaves of an embryo
Structure of the Seed
3. Endosperm
Nutritive tissue within the seed
Often consumed as the seed germinates
and matures
PLANT HORMONES
Plant Hormones
Chemical messengers produced in very
low concentrations by one part of the
plant and active on another part
Coordinate responses of the plant to
environmental stimuli
Types of Plant Hormones:
Growth Promoters
1. Auxins
For cell elongation
Produced in the shoot apical meristem
(terminal bud) and prevents the growth of
axillary buds (apical dominance)
When terminal bud is removed, axillary
buds begin to grow
Types of Plant Hormones:
Growth Promoters
2. Gibberellins
For stem elongation
Can cause dwarf plants to grow
Dormancy of seeds can be broken by
applying gibberellins
Types of Plant Hormones:
Growth Promoters
3. Cytokinins
For cell division
Can prevent senescence aging process
of plants
Can prevent death of leaves
Can initiate leaf growth
Types of Plant Hormones:
Growth Inhibitors
1. Abscisic Acid (ABA)
For dormancy
Called as the stress hormone
Produced by any green tissue of the plant
Initiates and maintains seed and bud
dormancy
Brings about closing of stomata when
plant is under water stress
Types of Plant Hormones:
Growth Inhibitors
2. Ethylene
For fruit ripening
The only hormone in gaseous form
Also involved in abscission the dropping
of leaves, fruits and flowers
TROPISMS
Tropism
Plant growth toward or away from a
directional stimulus
The stimulus is coming from only one
direction
Types of Tropism: As to
Direction
1. Positive Tropism
Grows toward a
stimulus
2. Negative Tropism
Grows away from a
stimulus
Types of Tropism: As to
Stimulus
1. Phototropism
response to light
Types of Tropism: As to
Stimulus
2. Geotropism
response to
gravity
Types of Tropism: As to
Stimulus
3. Thigmotropism response to touch
Types of Tropism: As to
Stimulus
4. Hydrotropism
response to water
or soil moisture
Types of Tropism: As to
Stimulus
4. Chemotropism response to chemical
stimulus. Roots grow toward useful
minerals in the soil but away from
acids.
PHOTOPERIODISM
Photoperiodism
Flowering response to the duration of
continuous darkness
Causes different fruiting seasons
Types of Plants as to
Response to Photoperiod
1. Day-neutral Plants
Flower without regard to duration of
darkness
Examples: corn, roses, beans, sunflower,
rice
Types of Plants as to
Response to Photoperiod
2. Short-day Plants
Flower when days are short
Examples: kataka-taka, poinsettia,
strawberry, chrysanthemum
Types of Plants as to
Response to Photoperiod
3. Long-day Plants
Flower when days are long
Examples: cabbage, radish, wheat
-END-
(Credits to the owners of the photos used.)
V. Plant Structure and
Function
Lloyd O. Balinado
Department of Biological Sciences
Cavite State University