Plant Structure and Function; Reading Vocabulary

Brynn, Ben, Nolberto, Perla

Rhizome - Horizontal stems that grow just below or along the soil surface

Tendril – Tendrils help plants climb by growing outward and wrapping around sturdy objects

Tissue – A group of cells with a common structure, function, or both

Tissue System – is made up of one or more tissues organized into a functional unit within a plant

Dermal Tissue System – Forms outer protective systems like human skin, but for plants, it’s a defence

Epidermis – Cells that make up the Dermal Tissue System

Cuticle – covers the Epidermis of leaves, giving them a waxy coating for protection

Vascular Tissue System – Made of Xylem and Phloem and provides support and long distance transport

Ground Tissue System – Most of the bulk in young plants, it fills up the space between the Epidermis and Vascular Tissue System

Pith – Ground tissue internal to the vascular Tissue

Cortex – Ground tissue external to the Vascular Tissue

Vascular Cylinder – In the center of the root, the Vascular Tissue forms this system with Xylem cells radiating from the center

Endodermis – Innermost layer of the Cortex, a cylinder one cell thick, it’s a selective barrier which chooses what can pass between the Cortex and the Vascular Tissue

Stomata – The Epidermis is interrupted by these pores, which allow CO2 exchange with the leaf and air

Guard Cells – Each Stoma is flanked by two of these, which regulate the size of the Stoma

Mesophyll – The ground tissue system of a leaf is sandwiched between the upper and lower Epidermis. Mainly made of photosynthetic parenchyma cells

Vein – A vascular bundle composed of Xylem and Phloem and surrounded by a sheath of Parenchyma cells

Organ - An organ consists of several types of tissues that together carry out particular functions

Root System - A plants root system anchors it in the soil, absorbs and transports minerals and water, and stores food

Root Hairs - Root hair enormously increases the root surface are for absorption of water and minerals

Shoot System - The shoot system of a plant is made up of stem, leaves, and adaptations for reproduction, flower, in angiosperms

Stem - The part of the plant that is generally above the ground and that support the leaves and flowers

Nodes - The points at which leaves are attached

Internodes - The portion of the stem between nodes.

Leaves - The main photosynthetic organs in most plants, although green stems also perform photosynthesis

Terminal Bud - Develops leaves and compact series of nodes and internodes

Axillary Buds - On in each of the angles forms by a leaf and the stem are usually dominant.

Apical Dominance - Is an evolutionary adaptation that increases the plants exposure to light

Food-conducting Cells- Also known as sieve-tube members. Sieve-tube members remain alive at maturity, but they lose most organelles, including the nucleus & ribosomes.

Sieve Plates- The end walls between sieve-tube members. They have pores that allow fluid to flow from cell to cell along the sieve tube.

Companion Cell- Each sieve-tube member has at least one of these, connected by numerous plasmodesmata. One companion cell may serve multiple sieve-tube members by producing & transporting proteins to all of them.

Xylem Tissue- Contains water-conducting cells that convey water & dissolved minerals upward from the roots.

Phloem Tissue- Contains sieve-tube members that transport sugars from leaves or storage tissues to other parts of the plant.

Sclerenchyma Cells- Phloem & xylem contain these cells. They provide support.

Parenchyma Cells- Phloem & xylem contain these cells. They store various materials.

Vascular Tissue System- Along with the dermal & ground tissue systems, the vascular tissue system makes up each plant organ, such as a leaf or a root.