Anatomy of Plants
The anatomy of plants relates to the internal structure and organization of the mature plant body, especially the vegetative organs of plants.
Cells
As in all other organisms, cells make up the fundamental unit of the plant body. Plant cells, whether formed in vegetative or reproductive organs, are usually bounded by a thin, mostly cellulosic wall that encloses the living protoplast. Young cells characteristically develop numerous membrane-bound vesicles, originating from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and dictyosomes. Some of these immature cells retain their ability to divide and are called meristematic. As cells age, the vesicles grow together, usually forming one relatively large water-filled vacuole positioned in the cell's center, which inhibits further cell division. Some older cells additionally produce a thick lignified cell wall located between the cellulosic wall and the protoplast. Cell walls are ordinarily considered a part of the cell's nonliving environment, but considerable research has revealed that a number of important physical and chemical events take place within cell walls.
Tissues
Groups of adjacent cells having similar structure and function constitute the tissues of the plant. Tissues having a structural or functional similarity comprise the plant organs. All of the cells, tissues, and organs trace their origins back to the zygote or embryo, which develops within the seed.
This page contains 201 words.
Anatomy of Plants article
Read the rest of this article.
This article contains 2,202 words
(approx. 7 pages at 300 words per page).
Order our Botany Article
