Morphology of Range Plants

Plant Morphology  Describes the physical form and external structures of a plant

Leaves  Important characteristics Type Arrangement Shape Margin Veination

Leaf Types  Simple  Compound Compound - PalmateCompound - Pinnate

Leaf Type: Simple or Compound

Leaf Arrangements Alternate OppositeWhorled

Leaf Arrangement Alternate Opposite Whorled

Leaf Shapes Ovate Palmate Linear EllipticLanceolateOblanceolate Wedge-shapedArrow-shapedObovate

Leaf Shapes Ovate Populus tremuloides Palmate Acer glabrum Linear Salix exigua Elliptic Arctostaphylos pungens Lanceolate Senecio serra Oblanceolate Hymenoxys hoopesii Wedge-shaped Artemisia tridentata Arrow-shaped Balsamorhiza sagittata Obovate Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi

Leaf Margins Serrated Lobed-pinnateLobed-palmate ToothedScallopedEntire

Leaf Veinations ParallelPinnate PalmateNetted

Parallel Venation Pinnate Venation Palmate Venation Netted Venation

More Leaf Margins If a leaf margin is very ragged and like it has been cut and sliced… then the margin would be called insized or divided. It could be palmately divided, pinnately diviced or highly divided:

Stems Hollow or PithySolid Not JointedSolidWoody Solid GrassesGrass-likesForbsShrubs (Sedges)(Rushes)

Roots

Structure for Plant Propagation Rhizomes are underground modified stems that give rise to new plants. Stolons are aboveground modified stems that give rise to new plants. Both are forms of asexual reproduction. “Sod-forming” plants have rhizomes or stolons

Flowers  Inflorescence types SpikeRaceme Panicle UmbelHead

Flowers  Composite Heads Ray FlowersDisk FlowersRay and Disk Flowers

Composite Seed heads  Ray & Disk flowers  Ray flowers only  Disk flowers only Tetradymia canescens

Grass Morphology