Vegetable Gardening - Handbook for Beginners
Appendix.1.
The Root
The first root to develop is the primary root. The lateral roots, or secondary roots, branch off from the primary root. Root hairs are finger-like extensions that enlarge the root’s surface area. Plant roots have several functions: they absorb water and minerals from the soil and transport them; they provide support by anchoring the plant in the soil. Roots also help store food. The outermost tip of the root is the Root Cap, which covers and protects the meristem and also senses gravity and directs in what direction the root grows.
The Shoot
The shoot is composed of three parts: the stem, the leaves, and the flowers. The stem bears leaves and is divided into nodes and internodes. The leaves come from the stem at the nodes. The portion of the stem between the leaves is called the internode.
The Leaves
Leaves have stomata on their undersides. These port-like openings regulate the water in plants by opening and closing. Stomata do occur on the upper surfaces of many leaves and along stems, but are found more often on the undersurfaces of the leaves.
The Stem
The stem provides support for the plant. Its internal tissues—phloem and xylem, among others—move water and minerals upward from the roots to the leaves and photosynthates down from the leaves to the roots
Adapted from
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/botany/plantparts.html. © 1998 The University of Arizona.
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