Plant anatomy, or "morphology", refers to the description of the structure and parts of a plant. There are some standard terms that are used to describe leaves, stems, flowers, roots, etc. These terms are often used in plant, weed, and wildflower field guides in order to help people identify the plants they find.An excellent guide for understanding plant anatomy is on-line as part of Texas A&M's Botany 201 course:
Here are some additional aids for identifying plant anatonmy:
- Leaf Arrangement - How leaves are arranged on the stem.
- Leaf Margins - What the edges of the leaves look like.
- Leaf Shapes - What the shape of the leaf is including the tip and base.
- Leaf Types - Simple, compound and variations.
- Leaf Venation - How the veins of the leaf are arranged.
- Stem Habits - The habit of the stem growth.
- Stems and Buds - Terms used to describe the parts of a stem or a bud.
- Underground Stems - Terms used to describe the different kinds of underground stems.
- Roots - The various types of root arrangements.
Finally, here are several glossaries that help explain what the various botanical terms mean:
- UCMP Glossary of Natural History Terms - Botany - A well-done glossary maintained by the University of California Museum of Paleontology.
- Glossary for Terms - Used in Plant Biology 5105 at the University of Minnesota.
- Glossary for Plant Morphology - This glossary is for the scientist, not the layman.