CH1 L3 The plant kingdom
?How do we classify plants
Plants come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Some are so small you can barely see them.
Others can be as tall as skyscrapers.
There are about 400,000 different kinds of plants.
:Classifying by structures
1- some plants have stem, leaves, and roots.
2- some plants don’t have stem, leaves, or roots.
:Classifying by structures
All plants needs to move water from the ground into their cells.
1- plants with roots and stems have a system of tubes for this.
2- mosses and other plants that lack such structure grow close to the ground. They don’t
need a tube system . They can take in water directly from the soil.
Classifying by seeds
(most of plants that have root, stems, and leaves also have seeds and fruit)
1- some plants have seeds
2- other plants have no seeds, but they produce offspring from spores.
Horsetail plants grow about one meter tall. They have stems that look like horses’ tails.
They have no seeds or fruit.
Other plants with roots, stems, and leaves use spores.
?How do plants get what they need
All plants need water, carbon dioxide( a common gas in the air), and
energy from sunlight to make their own food.
:The roles of roots
Roots take up water and nutrients from the ground.
They also keep the plants firmly in the soil.
Some roots even store food.
:Roots
Roots are covered with root hairs. These are thin cells that look like thread. Root
hairs take in water and nutrients that plants need.
:Kinds or roots
1- taproot: like the root of carrots and dandelions
They have only one large root.
2- fibrous root : like root of grasses.
roots which spread out into the soil
:The roles of stems
A plant’s stem grows above the ground.
The stem moves food, water, and nutrients throughout the plant.
It also holds the plant upright so it doesn’t fall over.
:Kinds of stems
1- woody stem: it protects the plant and gives it extra support.
Like the stem of trees and shrubs.
2- Nonwoody stem: it is soft, green, and bendable. It rely on the pressure of watery sap for
support.
?Why are leaves important
Like all living things, plants need energy. Animals eat food to get energy.
Plants make their own food. Most plants use leaves to collect light from the sun.
:Photosynthesis
Plants use energy in the sunlight to make food from water and carbon dioxide. This is in a
process of photosynthesis.
Most photosynthesis takes place in the leaves of plants.
:Photosynthesis
When the chloroplasts have enough energy, a change take place. Water and carbon
dioxide combine to form plant sugars, or food. The cells let oxygen out as a waste
product. Animals use this oxygen to breath.
?What are mosses and ferns
In the cool forests of North America, the ground is a moist, green carpet. When you
walk on this carpet, it feels spongy. If you look closely, you will see small structures in
this carpet. They are mosses. Look around the forest and you will find the delicate
leaves of ferns.
spores
Mosses and ferns are seedless plants, they using spores instead
of seeds to make new plants.
A spore: is a cell in seedless plant that can grow into a new
plant.
?How spores grow
Spores grow inside tough spore cases . The cases protect the spores from to much heat or
to little water.
When the spore case open, the spores are released. They drift through the air and then
settle.
Spores that land on damp ground can grow into new mosses or fern plants.
Like adult plants, spores need light nutrients, and water to grow. If their needs are met,
adults plants can make spores.
Quick check p.53
A like : both mosses and ferns are seedless. They both reproduce
with spores.
Different: ferns grow above the forest floor, while mosses grow
close to the ground.
?How do we use plants
Plants do much more than just add beauty to our world. Plants give us the food we eat and are useful
in many other ways.
Plants as food:
Lettuce and spinach are the leaves of plant.
If you eat carrots or beets, you are eating roots.
Celery and asparagus are stems.
Broccoli and cauliflower are flowers.
Rice and beans are seeds.
Not all fruits taste sweet, tomatoes and cucumbers are fruit.
?How do we use plants
Medicines and more:
People have used certain plants as herbs or medicines for a long time. Today we are
finding more medicines that comes from plants
We use trees to build things like furniture and toys.
Plants can be burned as a fuel or heating or cooking.
Plants are used for clothing too. Flannel and denim come from the cotton plant.
.Quick check: P. 54
Some students may mistakenly think of cucumbers as
vegetables. The seeds are used to classify cucumbers as fruits
