Classification, Anatomy, Structure, and Function
Practice Items and Suggested Answers
1. Summarize why plants are grouped (classified) in ornamental horticulture.
A: It allows us to compare and contrast plant features and to organize how plants are used
in the landscape
2. List some ways that plants are classified.
A: By their anatomy, use, life cycle, and temperature tolerances.
3. Summarize the most common anatomical features by which plants are classified and
why these plant features are used rather than others.
A: Based on their reproductive anatomy (flowers) rather than their vegetative anatomy
(leaves, stems) since reproductive parts (petals, sepals, stamens, pistils) remain relatively
unchanged across diverse environments.
4. List the 2 major groups of terrestrial plants and the key characteristics by which they
are differentiated.
A: Angiosperms (vessel, case, capsule + seed)_conspicuous flowers; fruits that enclose
seeds; Gymnosperms (Naked + seed)_inconspicuous flowers; fruits with exposed seeds.
5. List several uses of plants by which they are classified.
A: food, environmental enhancement, aesthetics.
6. List several ways plants are used to enhance environments.
A: shade trees to decrease the temperature; trees and shrubs for windbreaks; trees and
shrubs for privacy.
7. Define what is meant by 'life cycle' of a plant.
A: This is the generation time, the time for a plant to go from a seed to producing its own
seeds
8. Summarize how plants measure 'time'.
A: By environmental changes, such as changes in temperature, daylength, and the amount
of daylight.
A: Annuals require one year or growing season (or less) to go from seed to seed;
Biennials typically require 2 years (growing seasons) to go from seed to seed; Perennial
produce seeds every year and typically live for 3 or more years. Some perennials are
herbaceous and some are 'woody.'
10. Summarize how temperature tolerance is defined as well as at least 3 general climates
with different temperature (and precipitation) regimes.
A: Temperate, sub-tropical, and tropical climates are characterized by certain average
maximum and minimum temperatures.
A: Graphic of a plant with arrows to: apical meristem, axillary bud, leaf, node, internode,
flower
12. Given a graphic illustration of or an actual flower (perfect), identify the basic parts.
A: Graphic of a flower with arrows and brackets to: sepals, calyx; petals, corolla;
perianth; stamen, anther, filament; pistil, stigma, style, ovary; receptacle; pedicel.
13. Define 'meristem' and describe where meristems are found in above-ground parts of
plants.
A: the most rapidly growing cells in a plant, though not yet differentiated into specific
tissues; e.g., apical and axillary meristems.
14. Given a graphic illustration of or an actual plant, identify the axillary buds.
A: Graphic of a flower with arrows to buds subtended by a leaf, i.e., in the axils (upper
angles) between a leaf and stem.
15. Given graphic illustrations of or actual plants, identify the parts of simple and
compound leaves, including the locations of the axillary buds.
A: axillary buds, petioles, veins, margins, leaflets, petiolules.
16. Given a graphical illustration of a root, identify the major parts.
A: Graphic of a root with arrows to: root cap, root apical meristem, root hairs.
A: Roots that form on parts of a plant where they are not expected, e.g., brace roots of
corn, aerial roots on branches of English Ivy.
18. Summarize the functions of flowers, leaves, stems, and roots.
A: Flowers: reproduction; Leaves: photosynthesis & temperature regulation; Stems: plant
support, transport of water, nutrients and photosynthates, growing points, protection
(bark); Roots: anchoring, uptake of water & nutrients; storage of photosynthates and
nutrients.