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THE PLANT AND ITS ENVIRONMENT 
The plant. All living organisms are grouped into two 
kingdoms, the animal kingdom and the plant kingdom. The 
members of these two kingdoms are very similar in their funda- 
‘mental constitution. and 
vital processes. Plants, 
like animals, are living 
and breathing organisms 
characterized by growth 
and reproduction. 
Like animals, plants 
range in size from very 
-large species to minute 
ones that can be seen only 
with the aid of a micro- 
scope. In dealing with the 
larger and more conspic- 
uous kinds it is very easy 
to tell whether a given 
organism is an animal or 
a plant. This, however, 
is not the case with all 
small species, and there 
are whole groups of or- 
ganisms which have been 
regarded by zoodlogists as 
animals and by botanists 

Ye $a HO 
Fra.1. An eggplant with roots, stem, 
leaves, flowers, and fruit. (Plant x , 
single flower x #) 
as plants. It would, therefore, be difficult to give a definition 
that would include all plants and exclude all animals. Ag 
the larger and more complex plants are the ones that are most 
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