CHAPTER II 



MORPHOLOGY. STUDY OF THE BODY OF A PLANT 



Parts of a Plant. If any ordinary plant, such as a wall- 

 flower or mustard plant, be examined, we find that it consists of 

 certain well defined parts. 



These parts are known as root and shoot ; the shoot can 

 again be divided into stem and leaf. 



The root and stem are continuous, and together form the 

 axis of the plant. The root is called the descending axis, and 

 the stem the ascending axis. By the repetition of these parts 

 a plant is built up. From a morphological point of view, these 

 parts of a plant are termed its members, and they can be 

 classified under four main heads, as follows : 



1. Root-structures. These are as a general rule found at 

 the base of the plant. They serve to fix it to the soil, and to take 

 in water and minerals. The root of the mustard plant may be 

 mentioned as a typical instance. 



2. Stem-structures. These may be aerial, as in the stem 

 of the oak, that is, those which grow upwards into the air ; or, 

 they may be found beneath the soil, as in Solomon's Seal, when 

 they are called subterranean stems. In some cases, like the 

 strawberry, they creep along the surface of the ground, when they 

 are known as creeping stems. From the stem both leaves and 

 buds are developed as lateral outgrowths. 



3. Leaf-structures. Leaves are, as a general rule, thin, 

 and green or brightly coloured. They are produced by the 

 stem. 



