Various Parts of a Plant

A plant is a living thing that grows in the soil. There are various kinds of plants including herbs, shrubs, creepers, climbers, and trees. Irrespective of their kind, plants have various parts such as stem, root, leaf, fruit, and flower. Each of these parts serves a specific function to fulfill the needs of the plant. Processes such as reproduction, photosynthesis, absorption of minerals and water, and the protection and support of plants are performed by different parts of plants. These are, thus, vital for its survival. 

Major Categories of Plants

Plants are classified into herbs, shrubs, climbers, creepers, and trees based on their height, stem’s nature, and branches.

• Herbs: They are plants that have tender and green stems, usually short and may not have many branches. E.g. Sunflowers, etc.
• Shrubs: They are plants with branches near the base of the stem. The stem is not particularly thick but hard. E.g. Lemon, etc.
• Trees: Trees have thick and hard stems and are very tall. Stems have branches in the upper part, much above the ground. E.g., Mango, etc.
• Creepers: They are plants with frail stems that can’t stand on their own and instead sprawl on the ground. E.g., Money Plant, etc.
• Climbers: They are plants that use support and climb up. E.g. Grapes, etc.

Structure of a Plant

• The basic structure of a plant includes a root, stem, leaves, branches, and sometimes flowers. 
• Stem: These consist of tissues that help provide protection and nutrients to all parts of the plant. The stem has nodes that give rise to leaves. 
• Leaf: Lines on the leaf are called Veins. The prominent line in the middle of the leaf is Midrib.

The design or arrangement made by veins on a leaf is known to as Leaf venation which is of two types:

• Reticulate venation: These are Net-like venation on both sides of the midrib. An example of this is the leaves of plants such as rose, mango, and hibiscus.
• Parallel venation: These are Veins that are parallel to one another. For instance, the arrangement of veins on the leaves of wheat, maize, and bamboo plants.

• Roots: These contain various zones that serve different purposes. The roots also contain cells such as xylem and phloem which help carry nutrients to all the parts of plants. 
• Flower: They are the reproductive parts of plants. They contain sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils.

Major Parts of the Plant

• Stem:
  • Leaves, branches, buds, flowers, and fruits, etc. are borne by the Stems. 
  • Stem helps in the movement of water and minerals.
• Leaf:
  • Parts: Leaf commonly has petiole and lamina.
  • The part of the leaf by which it is attached to the stem is called Petiole.
  • The broad, green part of the leaf is called Lamina.

• Root:
  • Roots absorb water and minerals from the soil.
  • Anchor the plant to the soil.
  • Roots are of two types: Fibrous (small) root and Tap (Main) root.
  • Taproots are found in plants with reticulate venation, while fibrous roots are found in plants with parallel venation.

• Flower:
  • Parts: Sepals, pistils, stamens, and petals.
• Fruits
  • The fruit of a plant is a result of the reproduction process of plants.
  • This part contains the seed which is important for further reproduction in plants. 
  • The fruit helps disperse seeds and promote reproduction.
• Seeds
  • Seeds play the most important role in reproduction of plants. 
  • These seeds are an embryo of the plant and can be found mostly in fruits.
  • It is a result of reproduction and the initial stage of the plant. 

Functions of Parts of a Plant

• Stem: The stem functions as a support system for plants and helps provide water, minerals, and nutrients to leaves. This helps in the process of photosynthesis. 
• The products of photosynthesis are then carried to different parts of the plant through the stem.
• The stem also stores food in leaves in the form of starch.
• Leaves: The leaves release water vapour through the process of transpiration.
• Green leaves produce food by the process called photosynthesis using water and carbon dioxide in the presence of the sun.
• Some leaves such as Bryophyllum also play a role in reproduction. 
• Roots: They absorb water and minerals from the soil for the use of plants. It is through roots that these nutrients reach the stem. Roots store food and help in vegetative reproduction. 
• Flower: The main purpose of flowers is reproduction. Along with this, flowers also help in the production of fruit and protection of the seeds of fruits. 
• Apart from these parts, seeds, too, serve a function. It is through the help of seeds that new plants are germinated. 

Conclusion

Plants are living organisms of several kinds, such as herbs, shrubs, trees, climbers, and creepers. These have a specific structure. Each plant has roots, a stem, leaves, and flowers or other reproductive systems. The various parts of plants have functions that make them important for these plants. Roots provide the plant with nutrition from the soil and anchor the plant. Stems have the purpose of transporting materials such as water, minerals, and nutrients to the leaves of plants. Leaves serve the function of performing photosynthesis which helps in the generation of nutrients within the plant. Flowers are reproductive systems that also protect seeds and help in the production of fruits.