Flowers, Seeds, and Fruit

Front

Angiosperm Noun

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[an-jee-oh-spurm]

Back

Angiosperm

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A flowering plant that produces seeds enclosed within a protective structure called an ovary, which develops into a fruit.

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Example: This diagram shows a flower's key parts, including the ovary that encloses ovules, which is the defining characteristic of an angiosperm (flowering plant).

Front

Ovary Noun

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[oh-vuh-ree]

Back

Ovary

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The floral structure in angiosperms that contains ovules and develops into a fruit after fertilization.

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Example: This diagram shows the ovary as the swollen base of the flower's pistil, which contains and protects the ovules before they are fertilized.

Front

Cotyledon Noun

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[kot-i-lee-don]

Back

Cotyledon

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A seed leaf within the embryo of a flowering plant that functions to store or transfer essential nutrients.

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Example: This diagram shows the inside of a seed, labeling the cotyledon as part of the plant embryo, which provides food for the new plant.

Front

Monocot Noun

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[mon-oh-kot]

Back

Monocot

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An angiosperm characterized by having an embryo with only a single seed leaf, or cotyledon.

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Example: This diagram shows a cross-section of a monocot seed, like corn, revealing its internal parts including the embryo and the large endosperm.

Front

Dicot Noun

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[dy-kot]

Back

Dicot

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An angiosperm characterized by having an embryo with two seed leaves, or cotyledons.

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Example: This diagram shows a dicot seed split open to reveal its two cotyledons (seed leaves), which store food for the plant embryo.

Front

Woody Plant Noun

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[wood-ee plant]

Back

Woody Plant

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A plant made of cells with thick walls that support the plant body, including trees, shrubs, and vines.

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Example: This diagram shows the main parts of a woody plant, like a tree, which has a hard trunk, branches, leaves, roots, and can produce fruit.

Front

Herbaceous Plant Noun

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[her-bay-shus plant]

Back

Herbaceous Plant

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A plant that has flexible, nonwoody stems, which typically die back to the ground each year.

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Example: This image shows a sunflower, a type of herbaceous plant, which has a soft, green stem instead of a woody one. It labels the main parts: roots, stem, leaves, flower, and seeds.

Front

Annual Noun

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[an-yoo-ul]

Back

Annual

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A plant that germinates, flowers, produces seeds, and dies all within a single growing season.

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Example: This diagram shows the life cycle of an annual plant, which completes its entire life from seed to flower to seed within a single year or cycle.

Front

Biennial Noun

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[by-en-ee-ul]

Back

Biennial

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A plant that completes its life cycle over two years, typically growing vegetatively the first year and flowering the second.

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Example: This diagram shows a biennial plant's two-year life cycle. It grows leaves and roots in year one, then flowers and makes seeds in year two.

Front

Perennial Noun

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[puh-ren-ee-ul]

Back

Perennial

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A plant that lives for more than two years, often flowering and producing seeds for many seasons.

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Example: This image shows a lavender plant, an example of a perennial that lives for more than two years, regrowing from its roots each spring.