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Part 2: Botanical terminology

1. Parts of a plant

Plant morphology = the study of the structural features and parts of a plant

All the parts of a plant, down to the smallest part of the smallest plant cell has a name. Let’s start with the basics then start to have a look in more detail.

Parts of a plant labelled as per key below.

Amber Crowley UHI / Public domain

  1. Bud – an unopened flower
  2. Flower – for reproduction
  3. Leaf – for photosynthesis
  4. Flower stem – holds up the flowers and the seeds
  5. Roots – for anchoring the plant and absorbing water and nutrients
  6. Crown – the section between the stems and the roots of the plant.

There are many specific terms that describe the appearance of plants. These can relate to the leaves, stems, roots and flowers of plants and also to the overall habit, or growth form of a plant.

A close-up of some leaves on a plant stem

Amber Crowley UHI / Public domain

  • Nodes - where a petiole (stalk that supports a leaf) joins the stem of a plant
  • Internode - the straight section of stem between nodes