Plant Recognition

How do ID those green growing things.

Warm Up

• 1. If you were to divide all plants into only 2 categories how would you do it? What would the categories be?

• 2. What does “sperm” mean? What is the root word? (Hint: comes from Greek)

• 3. What does prefix “gymno” mean? What does prefix “angio” mean?

• 4. What do you think a “spermophilus” is? Guess what our generic name for this species is?

Answers

• 1. Your opinion. But scientists divide plants into many category. Simplest being: flowering or not flowering

• 2. “sperm” = “seed”

• 3. Gymno = naked. Angio = vessel.

• 4. Spermaphile is a…seed lover– Aka: squirrel!

Gymnosperms

• Gymnosperm—literally means “naked” “seed”. Therefore there is NO fruit

• Examples:– Cycads– Ginkgos– Pines

Gymnosperm

• Gymnosperms have male & female parts

Angiosperms• Angiosperm—literally means “vessel seed”

– flowering plants, who’s seeds are enclosed in fruit.

Examples:

•fruit trees: apple, cherry, plumb, orange •Most deciduous trees: birch, maple, oak, dogwood•Flowering plants

Angiosperms• Angiosperms have to undergo a

process called pollination before they can reproduce.

• Stamen—male sex organs. On the end of the stamen is the anther which makes pollen The pollen has to be taken to the

• Pistil—female part of the flower. The pollen is left on the stigma and is then carried down a tube called the style to the ovary.

• Some plants can cross pollinate. This means they can pollinate themselves. Other rely on pollinators.

Gymnosperm or Angiosperm?

Tree Identification Using Leaf Characteristics

Basic Leaf Anatomy

Coniferous or Deciduous?

• Coniferous—is evergreen, doesn’t lose its “leaves.– Leaves are “needles”,

scaly or smooth

• Deciduous—lose their leaves in the fall

Simple or Compound?

Simple Leaves—no leaflets

Compound Leaves—many little leaflets

Alternate or Opposite?

Alternate Leaves alternate their position on the stem Opposite Leaves branch of

the stem directly across from each other.

More…

Venation—how the veins are arranged?

Pinnate or Palmate?

Compound Leaves: Pinnate or Palmate?

Leaf Edge Characteristics

lobed toothedsmooth

lobe