Green leaves are the major location of photosynthesis. They contain chlorophyll, which is needed to capture light energy. They must also be able to obtain carbon dioxide from the air and water to use in the formation of sugars and starches.
Leaves also have a variety of internal structures, which allow plants to survive in their habitats. The blade is the flattened body of the leaf. Nodes are points where the leaves are positioned along. An internode is the distance between two nodes. Petioles are leaf stalks that allows each leaf to be connected to the stem. Net Venation is where vascular tissue branches and re-branches throughout the whole leaf.
Parallel Venation is where vascular tissue runs from the petiole to the leaf tip without joining one another. A simple keaf is a single, undivided blade.
A compound Leaf is a blade divided into two or more leaflets.
Plant Tissues
Plant tissues are created for uses such as absorption, transport, storage, photosynthesis, and reproduction. There are three major types of plant tissue: dermal tissue, ground tissue, and vascular tissue, which are distributed throughout the plant body. Dermal tissue cells are found in the epidermis. Ground tissue cells make up all of the internal non vascular areas in the plant. Vascular tissue cells are made for handling materials throughout the body of the plant.
Root Systems and Meristems
The root system is rather simple however, it still generally more complex than one may think. There are root tips with root caps, secondary and tertiary roots, primary roots and young secondary roots.
Plant cells divide by mitosis in specific areas called meristems. The meristems at the root tips and shoot tips (terminal buds) are called apical meristems.
Root and shoot systems begin to form in the tiny embryo within the seed. As the seed germinates, cells at the root and shoot tips divide by mitosis and lengthen. Meristems at areas other than the root and shoot tips form cylinders of tissue within roots and stems. Cell division in these cylinders. called the lateral meristems, causes an increase in the diameters of roots and stems.