Plants are a complex organism that can take many forms depending on the species and the type of plant within the species. Each plant shares common parts with every other plant, including flowers. Flowers themselves are complex in their form and use.
Roots perform multiple functions for plants. Plants use roots to bring in nutrients and moisture from the soil; roots also store extra nutrients and energy for when conditions are not favorable for growth. Roots also allow plants to remain anchored in the soil and keep the plant standing upright. There are both edible and non-edible roots Examples of edible roots include carrots, radish and potatoes. Plants such as roses can grow roots from bulbs; plants such as Iris grow roots from tubors.
Plant stems are the delivery system for the nutrients and water from the roots to the other parts of the plant. Leaves send glucose through the stem out to other plant parts for food. Stems can be either pliable or stringent depending on the plant; flowers have pliable, bendable stems while bushes have stringent woody stems that don't bend. Stems can be any size from very small (such as clover) to very large (such as trees).
Plants use leaves to generate heat and sunlight into photosynthesis to make food. Leaves come in a wide range of sizes, shapes and colors. Look at the different types of leaves to identify different plants; identify specific types of plant species by the variations between them (such as holly, maple or pine). Leaves can have various names such as blades of grass or pine needles.
Most plants have a form of fruit. The plant uses its fruit to protect the seeds within. Look for fruit to be hard (nuts), fleshy (apples), legumes (peanuts) or berries (blackberry). Fruits can be edible or inedible. Many plants produce inedible fruit (pine trees, holly) to protect the plant from being eaten.
Seeds are the offspring of plants. Look for the seeds to produce new plants of similar nature to the parent plant. Find plant seeds in pods (beans, peas, or pine cones), in flowers (daisey, tulip) or in fruit (berries, nuts).
Plants use the flower to reproduce via making seeds. Flowers can be complex or simple, depending on the plant. The two main parts of the flower are the stamen and the pistil. The stamen is the male reproductive organ and has two parts: the anthers and the filaments. The filament holds up the anthers that in turn hold the pollen that starts the reproductive cycle. The pistil is the female reproductive organ and has three parts: the stigma, the style and the ovary. The ovary can be found at the base of the flower. The style holds the stigma upright, while the stigma is used to catch the pollen at the top of the pistil. Two other important parts of the flower are the petals, which attract pollinators, and the sepals, which protect the developing bud of the flower.