Exercise 1 – The Plant Body
Herbaceous and woody vascular plants are generally well adapted to
life on land. Constructed from modules, which arise from localized regions of
cell division called meristems, plants produce distinct regions that perform
specific functions. For example, roots afford avenues for water and dissolved
mineral nutrients to enter the plant body and provide the plant anchorage in
the soil. The shoot system conducts water and food in the above ground
parts of the plant and generates other modules, such as leaves that are
involved in photosynthesis. Reproductive structures are associated with
leaves (e.g., sporangia, plantlets) or modified structures such as cones or
flowers. Depending on the species, roots, stems, and leaves can be modified
to provide specialized adaptations that assist in the survival of the plant. For
example, roots can serve to store water and/or food for use by the plant when
these resources are lacking.
Figure Source: <http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/lecturesf04am/lect17.htm>
Humans utilize wild and domesticated plants for a variety of purposes
and often rely on specific regions of the plant body to obtain specific
products. In this exercise, you will find stations set up on laboratory tables.
Your goal, if possible, is to identify the common name for the plant, the part
of the plant body utilized, and how this part is exploited by humans.
