Chapter 7 Getting to Know Plants

1. Root absorbs water and minerals from the soil. The upward absorption of water and minerals from the soil done by the help of diffusion.
2. Stem hold the plant upright. It is made up of dead parenchymatous cells. It is the hardest part of the plant.
3. The stem conducts water to the leaves. The transportation of water and minerals done by the xylem.
4. The number of petals and sepals are always equal in a flower. But is the petals are separated from each other than the sepals must be jointed there or vice- versa.
5. If the sepals of a flower are joined together its petals must be separated from each other or vice- versa.
6. If the petals of a flower are joined together, then its sepals must be separated. Its pistil is jointed with the petal is not necessary.

(a) Generally leaf is of green colour. Its broad part called as lamina. There are lines present on the leaf called as vein. A mid line in the leaf called as midrib. Two types of venation are found in the leaf: reticulate and parallel venation. Stem part from which the leaf is connected called as petiole.

(b) Tap root: main root of the plant called as tap root. Other smaller roots arises from the main root called as lateral roots.

(c) A flower: A flower consists of many parts like sepal, petal, stamen, pistil etc.

Sepals are of green colour which is present around the petals in the lower part of the flower. Petals are colourful which are sometimes jointed or sometimes not. Inside the petals stamen and pistil are present.

Stamen have two parts: anther and filament; and pistil have three parts: stigma style and ovary.

Yes, sweet gourd (petha), bitter gourd (karela) and bottle ground (lauki); all have long but weak stem. These all are climbers which take the support from another plant and climbs up.

Functions of stem are as follows:

1. It provides strength, rigidity to the plant.
2. It holds the plant in the upright state.
3. Transportation of water and minerals is done by xylem tissue through the stem to all the parts of the plants.
4. Transportation of food is done by phloem through the stem; where needed.

Here Tulsi, coriander, China rose have reticulate venation whereas wheat, maize and grass have parallel venation.

If a plant has fibrous roots, then its roots must have the parallel venation. We can find out the type of root by seeing the venation of the leaf.

If a plant have reticulate venation then it must have a tap root. Tap root is the main root. Many other short roots arises from the tap root which are known as lateral roots.

Yes, it is possible to recognize the leaf and its venations. If the leaf is hard and its veins are not thin, then by touching the leaf we can recognize the leaf; but this method is not so convenient all the time. So, we can take a leaf and take its impression on paper with the help of a pencil, then we can easily recognize the leaf.

Names of the part of the flower are as follows:

1. Sepal: This is present in the lower part of the petals.
2. Petals: Petals are colorful.
3. Stamen: It is the male part of the plant which is present inside the petals. It has two parts: anther and filament.
4. Pistil: It is the female part of the plant and contains three parts: stigma, style and ovary.

The plants with flowers are:

Chilli, tomato, Tulsi, mango, Jamun, guava, pomegranate, papaya and banana.

Whereas; grass, maize, wheat, pipal, shisham, sugarcane, potato, groundnut have no flowers.

Plants make their food by their own in the presence of sunlight with the help of carbon dioxide and water; and this process is known as photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is done by leaves. Green colour of leaves occurs due to pigment called chlorophyll whereas the chloroplast are the organelles that conducts the process photosynthesis.

Ovary is found in the female reproductive part of the plant. Ovary is the lowermost swollen part of the pistil.

The flower with jointed sepals are: Datura, China rose etc.

 The flower with separated sepals are: Rose, lotus etc.