Botany Basics
Amy Fulcher
Assistant Professor
Sustainable Ornamental
Plant Production and
Landscape Management
Presentation
›  Introduction
›  Snack
break
›  Overview/refresher on how plants work
and implications for nursery and
landscape situations
›  Roots
›  Trunks/branches
›  Snack
break
›  Leaves
Introduction to Amy
›  Extension
Philosophy
“Enhance the current and future ornamental
horticulture industry by addressing their needs
through collaborations in quality education,
demonstrations, and applied research.”
›  Program
seeks to integrate applied research
with extension education
IPM manual
›  Joint website
› 
›  More
on my research program later today!
How About You?
›  Agent
Introductions
Snack Break aka quiz
There are ____ flowering
plants in the world?
›  12,750
›  46,902
›  113,560
›  352,000
There are ____ flowering
plants in the world?
›  12,750
›  46,902
›  113,560
› 352,000
There are more than _____
Asteraceae?
›  24
›  240
›  2,400
›  24,000
There are more than _____
Asteraceae?
›  24
›  240
›  2,400
› 24,000
The smallest flower in the world
can…
›  Fit
in a sewing needle eye
›  Is less than 2 salt grains end to end
›  Is the size of Abraham Lincoln’s ear on a
penny
How Plants Work
We have these amazing,
diverse plants because of
their anatomy, physiology,
and ability to fill niches
•  Some plant parts
lose water, some
take up water (and
nutrients)
•  Areas of growth
•  Vascular and
apical
http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/labs/plantanatomy.htm
Plants do these (and other
things) differently
MONOCOTS
› 
› 
› 
› 
› 
› 
Embryo with single cotyledon
Flower parts in multiples of three
five
Major leaf veins parallel
Stem vascular bundles scattered
Roots are adventitious
Secondary growth absent
DICOTS
Embryo with two cotyledons
Flower parts in multiples of four or
Major leaf veins reticulated
Stem vascular bundles in a ring
Roots develop from radicle
Secondary growth often present
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss8/monocotdicot.html
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Plants do these (and other
things) differently
MONOCOTS
› 
› 
› 
› 
› 
› 
Embryo with single cotyledon
Flower parts in multiples of three
five
Major leaf veins parallel
Stem vascular bundles scattered
Roots are adventitious
Secondary growth absent
DICOTS
Embryo with two cotyledons
Flower parts in multiples of four or
Major leaf veins reticulated
Stem vascular bundles in a ring
Roots develop from radicle
Secondary growth often present
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss8/monocotdicot.html
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
What do tree roots really look like?
Where are the roots?
What Do Root Systems Really
Look Like?
Where are the Roots?
•  Roots are in top
12-18 inches
•  Roots grow
horizontally 1.5
to 2.0 the ht of
the tree (not
dripline)
•  No taproot
Where are the Roots: Root
Distribution
O2
No O2
Photo courtesy Aaron Escobar / January 13, 2011
http://www.kwch.com/lifestyle/home-and-garden/ct-sun-garden-0116-morton-roots-20110113,0,7416892.story
What Do Tree Roots Do?
›  Anchor
trees
›  Uptake water and nutrients
›  Store carbohydrates (underground away
from animals)
How Do Tree Roots Grow?
›  Roots
develop from radicle
›  Branching
Root branching
When prune roots growth is at
tip
Can remove too many roots
Can plant too deep
Can dig a ball with few roots
How Do Tree Roots Grow?
Photo Credit s): wikipedia and http://mayaphotography.blogspot.com/
Things not to do:
›  Trench/severe
roots
›  Dump cleaners/chemicals
›  Drive/park vehicles
›  Pile bricks and firewood
›  Allow plants to become pot bound
›  Leave twine/burlap around trunk at
planting
Compacting roots
http://levelsbirder-in-morocco.webs.com/day5.htm
Burlap on, trees unstaked
What Do
Branches Do?
›  Support
leaves
›  Maximize
sunlight
interception
›  Get
flowers/fruits into
sunlight, access to
pollinators
›  Shed snow loads
›  Extend fruit so more
visible, dispersed
Live Oak Photo Credit: unknown, www
Trunk, branches
›  Maximize
sun
penetration
Photo(s) Credit: Peter Cowell
Without enough light…
Home Landscape Photo Credit: Gardeners Anonymous
Without enough light…
Home Landscape Photo Credit: Gardeners Anonymous
Without enough light…
Home Landscape Photo Credit: Gardeners Anonymous
Without enough light…
Another Thing
Branches, Trunk Do…
›  Supports,
houses
conductive tissue
›  Xylem
and phloem!
›  Herbaceous
Dicots-Stem
vascular bundles scattered
›  Monocots-Stem vascular
bundles in a ring
›  Trees-concentric rings
›  Trees grow up and out
Concentric Rings: Phloem and
Xylem
›  Phloem
on outside
›  Xylem on inside
What Not To Do…
›  Girdle
plants with
twine, tags, stakes
Question: Can You Graft
Monocots?
Leaves
Photo Credit: Edible Garden Project, Vancouver, BC
Leaves
›  Intercept
light (leaf area = irradiance)
›  House photosynthetic apparatus
›  Water evaporates, exits the plant
›  Cools leaves
›  Transpirational
stream is energy free and
moves hundreds of gallons of water per
day against gravity!!
›  500gal/day
redwoods
›  Transpirational
stream is
energy free
›  Moves against gravity!!
›  500gal/day redwoods
Leaf Anatomy
Move water, lose water
What Not To Do
›  Coat
leaves with substances that clog
stomata.
›  Allow plants to wilt
›  Midday wilt - Too dry or isn’t being
replaced as fast as it is moving out of the
leaves?
Vein patterns
Photo credit: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/site/StoryDetails.aspx?id=872
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scotnelson/5684510146/sizes/z/in/photostream/
Summary
›  Anatomy
and physiology of plant parts
provide clues on how to care for plants.
›  Phloem: sugars to roots
›  Xylem water to leaves
›  Roots: shallow, wide, branch from tips
›  Branches Trunks: increase in girth
›  Leaves: prune in triangle, careful with
coatings, ample water for cooling, gas
exchange