THE PARTS OF A FLOWERING PLANT 9 
ground, and a stem with leafy branches above ground. 
It is well, however, to recall this elementary knowledge 
and to get clear ideas of these commonly recognized parts. 
The botanist recognizes leaves as merely appendages of 
the stem or branches, and branches as merely subdivisions 
of the stem. Stems may or may not have branches (Figs. 
FIG. 3. Fibrous roots on cutting of sugar cane. 
i and 305). The stem, with its branches and leaves, 
constitutes the shoot. The shoot, therefore, is all the 
plant except the roots. In broad outline, the structure 
of any common plant is made up as follows: 
f Root (with or without branches) 
Plant body I f Stem (with or without branches) 
Shoot Leaves 
