Basic Botany

Learning Objectives

• Explain basic plant processes that affect plant

growth.
• Understand the classification system of botanical
nomenclature.
• Distinguish between monocot and true
dicots/eudicots.
• Recognize the basic parts of a plant, their
functions, and specialized terms.
• Understand how plant morphology helps us
classify and identify plants.
Part I:
Introduction
 What is Botany?

• The scientific study of plants…

– classification
– evolution
– structure
• internal structure = anatomy
• external structure = morphology
– physiology
– ecology
– uses
• Also known as plant science or plant biology
 What is Horticulture?

The art and science of cultivating plants,

including ornamentals, fruit, and vegetables.
 What is a Science?
• A study of something…
• Must distinguish between the different parts
• Must try to understand all the part’s functions
• Need to understand the roles or influences the parts
have on each other
• Have the ability to manipulate the parts to change
the whole

• Horticulturist: a manipulator of nature.

What is a Plant?

• A photosynthetic,
multicellular organism…
– Containing
photosynthetic pigments
called chlorophylls
– Capable of making its
own food (sugar)…
– …and storing it, usually
in the form of starch
 Plant Processes
• Photosynthesis
– The process of turning light energy into
carbohydrates that can be transported and
stored by the plant

6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light →

C6H12O6 (sugar) + 6 O2 (oxygen)

Laura Guerin; Source: CK-12 Foundation; License: CC BY-NC 3.0

 Plant Processes

• Respiration
– The process where carbohydrates are
broken down into energy the plant can use
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + Energy
 Plant Growth – A Balance

• Photosynthesis • Respiration
- Produces food - Uses food for energy
- Energy is stored - Energy is released
- Occurs in cells with chlorophyll - Occurs in all cells
- Oxygen is released - Oxygen is used
- CO2 is used - CO2 is produced
- Occurs in light - Occurs in dark or light
Plant Growth – A Balance

P>R
P<R
P=R
 Plant Processes

• Transpiration
– The process by which moisture is carried
through plants from roots to small leaf pores
(stomates) where it is released as vapor into
the atmosphere.
Factors that increase transpiration:
- Warm temperature
- Bright sunlight
- Low relative humidity
- Wind
- Moist soil
Dry wilt versus wet wilt
Part II:
Plant Classification
 Plant Taxonomy

The classification, naming, description, and

identification of plants.

• From Greek:
taxis (arrangement)
+
nomos (laws, rules)
 Biological Classification=
hierarchical arrangement
(from most inclusive to least inclusive)

Kingdom
Phylum (-phyta)
Class (-opsida)
Order (-ales)
Family (-aceae)
Genus (capitalized, italicized)
Species (lower case, italicized)
Family, genus, and species are the
ranks most relevant to gardeners

Kingdom
Phylum (-phyta)
Class (-opsida)
Order (-ales)
Family (-aceae)
Genus (capitalized, italicized)
Species (lower case, italicized)
 Botanical Classification -
below the species level

• Subspecies or variety—
naturally occurring
(designated with subsp. or var.
& italicized)
Helianthus debilis subsp. cucumerifolius

• Cultivar—bred or selected
by man
(designated with single
quotes or cv. and not italicized)
Camellia japonica ‘Debutante’
 Plant Classification (informal)

Plants are classified by:

• Life cycle (annual, biennial, perennial)
• Life stages (embryonic, juvenile, transitional,
reproduction, dormancy and senescence)
• Latitude (arctic, temperate, subtropical, tropical)
• Usage (fruit, vegetable, ornamental, fiber, dye,
medicinal, forage)
• Growing or flowering season (warm season vs.
cool season, wet season vs. dry season)
 Plant Classification (informal)

Plants are classified by:

• Tissue type (herbaceous, softwood, semi-
hardwood and hardwood)
• Water needs (xerophyte, halophyte)
• Foliage retention (evergreen, semi-evergreen and
deciduous)
• Monocot vs. dicot (cotyledons, vascular stem
arrangement, leaf venation and floral part numbers)
Binomial Nomenclature

• Allows for the unambiguous

identification of an organism
with just 2 words:
Genus + epithet (species)

• First used consistently by

Linnaeus in Species
Plantarum (1753).
 Gymnosperms: Cycads, Conifers,
and Ginkgo
• Gymnosperm means
“naked seed.”
– Seeds not enclosed within
an ovary.
– Does not produce flowers
or fruit.
• Pollen and ovules
produced in separate
male and female cones.
• Reproduce and disperse
by means of seeds, which
lack an endosperm.
 Gymnosperms

• Gymnosperms are generally woody Pine

plants.
• May have needle-like leaves, scale-
like leaves, or broad leaves.
• Pollen cones and seed cones may
Coontie
be produced on the same plant or
on separate plants.
• In some species, the seed cone
may be fleshy and berry-like.
Podocarpus
 Angiosperms: Flowering plants

• Angiosperm means “container seed.”

– Seeds enclosed within an ovary (fruit)
• Pollen and ovules produced
by specialized structures called
flowers.
• Dispersed by means of seeds
which have an endosperm.
• Traditionally divided into monocots and dicots.
 Monocots

• Embryo with one cotyledon (seed leaf)

• Stems with scattered vascular bundles
• Leaf veins usually parallel
• Floral parts in threes
• No secondary growth (no true wood or bark)
 Dicots

• Embryo with two cotyledons (seed leaves)

• Stems with vascular bundles in rings
• Leaf veins usually reticulate (branching)
• Floral parts in fours or fives
• Capable of secondary growth (true wood/bark)
But angiosperms are more
complicated than that!

Basal Angiosperms
 In the real world…

• Basal Angiosperms and Magnoliids account for

2% of all angiosperms.
– Examples: water lilies, star anise, magnolias, nutmeg,
peperomias
• Monocots account for 23% of all angiosperms.
– Examples: grasses, orchids, bromeliads, palms
• Eudicots (true dicots) account for 75% of all
angiosperms.
– Examples: oaks, roses, cacti, mints, asters
Part III:
Plant Morphology
 Plant Morphology
• The study of the physical form and external
structures of a plant.
• Helps you understand a plant’s functions and
habitat preferences and how best to grow it.
• Helps you recognize plant families.
– Plants within a certain plant family typically share a
suite of morphological characteristics.
An example:
Lamiaceae (mint family):
• Stems often quadrangular
• Leaves opposite, simple,
often with aromatic
glands
• Flowers perfect, usually
tubular and 2-lipped
• Calyx often enlarged and
persistent
• Fruit a drupe with four
stones or a schizocarp
with four nutlets
 Plant Morphology
First examine the whole plant
• Habit:
– woody (tree, shrub, subshrub)
– herbaceous/non-woody (aka, herb or forb)
– suffrutescent (mostly herbaceous but developing a woody
base over time)
• In other words, is it a tree, shrub, herb, or vine?
• Keep in mind that a vine may be herbaceous, woody
(aka a liana), or suffrutescent.
 Plant Morphology
First examine the whole plant – continued…
• Form: upright, sprawling, arching, rosette,
trailing, prostrate
• Branching pattern: unbranched, well-branched,
branching near the base, single trunk w/
branched crown
• Size: height and width
• Seasonality:
– Woody: deciduous, evergreen, or briefly deciduous
– Herbaceous: annual, perennial, or biennial
• Hardiness: tropical, tender, or hardy
 Plant Morphology

…then look at each organ from the ground up:

Roots
Stems
Leaves
Flowers
Fruits
 Roots
Functions:
1. Absorption of water & minerals
2. Anchoring plant in place
3. Conductance (water and minerals move up via
xylem, sugars move up and down via phloem)
4. Storage of water and carbohydrates
 Roots: Morphology

• primary root = taproot

• secondary roots = fibrous
roots
• adventitious roots = arise
from a stem or other plant
part (not from a root)
• root hairs = tiny outgrowths
that absorb water/minerals
by osmosis
 Secondary
Roots

Plant Stem
 Tree Roots

Small absorbing roots Lateral roots

Sinker roots Taproot
 Stems

Functions:
1. Conductance via xylem and phloem
2. Support and elevate the leaves, flowers, and fruit
3. Storage of water and carbohydrates

In some stems may also play a role in:

- Photosynthesis (eg., cacti)
- Gas exchange (lenticels)
- Plant defense (thorns)
 Stems: Morphology
• Nodes
– Points where a leaf or leaves are
attached
– Spaces between nodes are called
internodes
• Buds (growing points)
– Terminal buds at the apex of stems
– Lateral buds at the base of leaves
– Adventitious buds may develop on
injured stems
http://www.clemson.edu/extfor/publications/bul117/images/twig.gif
 Inside the Stem
• Phloem – conducts
photosynthetic
products bi-
directionally
• Xylem – conducts water
and minerals uni-
directionally from roots
to entire plant
• Both of these tissues Credit: http://sharon-taxonomy2009-p2.wikispaces.com/

are produced by the

vascular cambium
 Stem Types

• Crown
• Simple
• Branched
• Climbing Bermudagrass produces St. Augustinegrass produces
stolons (above-ground stems)
rhizomes (below-ground stems)
• Creeping
• Rhizomes
• Stolons
• Acaulescent
= no stem!
 Stem Modifications

For climbing
– Twining
– Tendrils
• May derive from stems, leaves, leaflets, or
inflorescences (position of tendril gives clue to origin)
• Tendrils may be clawed, twining, or have adhesive discs
 Stem Modifications

For storage
– Rhizomes (eg., ginger)
– Stem tubers (eg., potatoes)
– Corms (eg., taro/cocoyam)
 Stem Modifications

For defense
– Thorns (modified stems)
– Spines (modified leaves)
– Prickles (modified hairs)
 Leaves
Functions:
1. Absorption of sunlight
2. Photosynthesis (production of sugars from
sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water)
3. Gas exchange (absorb C02, release 02)
4. Transpiration (loss of water)
5. Storage of photosynthates
In some plants leaves may be modified for climbing
(tendrils), for plant defense (spines), or for pollination
(petal-like bracts attract pollinators)
 Leaves: Morphology
• Blade: flattened, expanded part
• Petiole: the leaf stalk
• Stipules: leaf-like appendages at
the base of petiole
• Base: blade portion closest to stem
• Tip or Apex: blade portion furthest
from stem
• Margin: edges of the blade
• Midrib or Primary Vein: the most
prominent central vein http://generalhorticulture.tamu.edu/

• Secondary or Lateral Veins: veins

h202/labs/lab2/index.html

that branch from the midvein

 Phyllotaxy: Leaf Arrangement

• Arrangement at a node
– Alternate: 1 leaf per
node
– Opposite: 2 leaves
per node
– Whorled: 3 or more
leaves per node
 Phyllotaxy: Leaf Arrangement

• Arrangement on stem
– Spiral: leaves at adjacent
nodes evenly spaced in a
spiral around the stem
– Distichous: leaves two-
ranked (held on a single
plane)
– Decussate: leaves at
adjacent nodes rotated 90˚
– Equitant: two ranked,
flattened leaves overlapping
Equitant
at the base
 Simple vs. Compound

A simple leaf has a single blade; a compound leaf has

two or more blades (leaflets).
Simple or Compound?
Simple or Compound?
Simple or Compound?
Simple or Compound?
Simple vs Compound

©Matt Walters, University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Look for an axillary bud!

Simple vs Compound

How
many
leaves are
on this
slide?
Compound Leaves: Additional Terms

• Leaflet: the units of a

compound leaf
• Rachis: an extension
of the petiole bearing
leaflets
• Petiolule: the stalk of
an individual leaflet

http://generalhorticulture.tamu.edu/h202/labs/lab2/index.html
 Leaf Attachment
• Petiolate: with a petiole (leaf stalk)
• Sessile: lacking a petiole (leaf stalk)
• Clasping: petiole or leaf blade partly or wholly
surrounding the stem
• Peltate: petiole attached to surface of leaf blade
instead of to its base or margin
Common Leaf Shapes

orbicular

lanceolate elliptic
Leaf Apices (Leaf Tips)
Leaf Bases
Leaf Margins
 Leaf Texture

• Chartaceous (papery)
• Coriaceous (leathery)
• Succulent (fleshy, juicy)
 Leaf Surfaces
• Abaxial (lower) surface
• Adaxial (upper) surface
©Thomas Mione
• Glabrous (hairless) http://web.ccsu.edu/faculty/mione/
calliantha%20images/758Leaves.jpg

• Glaucous (with a white waxy bloom)

• Gland dotted
• Vestiture (hairs/scales)—many variations
– pubescent (short, soft), tomentose (wooly), sericeous
(silky), pilose (long, soft), hispid (coarse, stiff), strigose
(sharp, appressed), papillate (bumpy), lepidote (scurfy
scales)
 Leaf Venation

• Parallel
• Pinnate
• Palmate
– Trinerved (3)
– Plinerved (5)
• Reticulate
• Impressed, raised,
prominent, or
obscure
 Stipules

• Leaf appendages (usually paired), located at the

base of the petiole, and found in select plant
families
• Stipules function to protect the leaf in bud, but
may be modified as spines, tendrils, or be
enlarged and leafy
 Modified Leaves: Bracts
• Bracts attract pollinators and/or protect the
developing flowers
 Flowers
Functions:
1. Attract pollinators-petals (and
sometimes petaloid sepals or
bracts) lure pollinators.
2. Reproduction-fertilized ovary
develops into fruit which
contains seeds.
Much of the
classification of plants is
based on floral morphology
 Flowers: Morphology
• Sepals - calyx
• Petals – corolla
• Perianth = S and P
• Stamen
– filament
– anther (produces
pollen)
• Pistil
– stigma
– style
– ovary
 Flowers: More-phology

• Complete
– has petals, sepals,
stamens and pistils
• Perfect (bisexual)
– has both stamens
and pistils
• Imperfect
(unisexual)
– staminate Monoecious: both imperfect flowers on one
plant
– pistillate Dioecious: either a staminate or pistillate
plant
Flowers Exhibit Tremendous Variety!
 Pollination Syndromes
• Flowers are adaptations for pollination.
• The structure, color, scent, and timing of
flowers reflect the pollinating organism or
mechanism!
Pollination Syndromes
 Pollination Syndromes:
a Famous Example

Xanthopan morganii
Morgan’s sphinx moth
Angraecum sesquipedale (Darwin’s orchid)
 Flowers: Solitary? or Grouped?

• Solitary
– A single flower borne at the end
of a peduncle
• Inflorescence
– A flower cluster borne on a
peduncle
– May be branched or
unbranched
– Individual flowers may be
sessile (unstalked) or borne on
pedicels (flower stalks)
 Inflorescence: Determinate
or Indeterminate?
• Determinate: terminal
flower blooms first,
halting elongation of
the inflorescence axis
• Indeterminate: lower or
outer flower blooms
first, allowing for
elongation of the
inflorescence axis as the
flowers develop
Inflorescence: Types
 Fruits

Functions:
1. Protect developing seeds
(physical barrier between
immature seeds and the
environment)
2. Aid in dispersal of
mature seeds

Copyright © 2018 Glen Mittelhauser

 Fruits: Morphology

• Pericarp (fruit wall)

• Exocarp (skin)
• Mesocarp (flesh)
• Endocarp (pit)
• Placenta (the part of the
ovary to which the seeds
are attached)
• Seed (mature ovule,
contains embryo and, in
angiosperms, endosperm)
 Fruits

• Ripened, seed-bearing ovaries of flowers

• Nearly as varied in color, form, size, texture, and
number as flowers
• Can be used as the distinguishing characteristic
of a species or cultivar
• Divided into four large categories
– Dry or fleshy
– Dehiscent (splitting open) or indehiscent
 Dry Fruits

• Achene (i)
• Samara (i)
• Nut (i)
• Caryopsis (i)
• Capsule (d)
• Silique (d)
• Legume (d)
• Follicle (d)
 Fleshy Fruits

• Simple
– Drupe (i)
– Berry (i)
– Hesperidium (i)
– Pome (i)
– Pepo (i)
• Compound
– Aggregate (from separate carpels of one flower,
eg., blackberry, magnolia, strawberry) (i)
– Multiple (from pistils of several clustered flowers,
eg. , pineapple, mulberry, sycamore) (i)
 Seeds

• Have an outer coat (testa),

usually tough
• Angiosperms have nutritive
tissue (endosperm )
• Contain an embryo, which,
upon germination,
develops into a new plant
• Range in size from dust-
sized to bigger than your
head!
 The University of Florida
Herbarium
• Established 1891, became part of the FLMNH in 1981
• Approximately 500,000 specimens--the oldest, largest,
and most comprehensive botanical collection in Florida
– 280,000 vascular plants
– 160,000 mosses and liverworts
– 56,500 fungi (housed separately)
– 15,300 wood samples
– Library of over 16,000 books, journals, reprints, maps, and
illustrations
• Includes specimens from every continent except
Antarctica, but the geographic focus is circum-Caribbean
 UF/IFAS Plant ID
& Information Service
• Established 1927 as a service to Extension personnel.
• Provides identification of vascular plant samples (ferns,
cycads, conifers, flowering plants).
• Provides information on plants including nativity and
current distribution, currently accepted name,
invasiveness, regulatory status (prohibited or protected
by law), toxicity, ethnobotany, and cultural/zone
requirements.
• Sample submission forms can be found at:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/sr/sr02400.pdf
 Acknowledgements:
• Marc S. Frank, Extension Botanist
UF/IFAS Plant Identification and Information Service
University of Florida Herbarium

This presentation was adapted from a PowerPoint originally

developed by: Dr. Elizabeth Lamb, Cornell University IPM
program – formerly @ UF/IFAS IRREC