Plants

Essay by algazalim July 2006

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Plants give us lots of things including oxygen, foods, and medicines. Plants need things like water, light, and air. The amount of daylight affects their growth. Plants also need food, just like we do. The different parts of a plant help it make food. Some plants cross-pollinate. These plants have male (the stamen), or female (the carpel) parts. Wind and water sometimes scatter the pollen, but insects do most of the work. Other plants pollinate themselves. A new plant is born from a seed. The seeds contain food for the plants' first stage in life. As the plants begin to sprout roots and grow stems, they produce their own food using chlorophyll. Seeds scatter many ways. Some plants' seeds have hooks, which stick to fur, then brush off in a different place. Flying seeds, floating seeds, or fruits are carried far by wind or water. Some plants have exploding seed pods that fling seeds into the air.

Others are eaten by animals and pass through the other end, unharmed. Plants have three basic parts. They are the roots, stems, and leaves. The roots anchor the plants to its substrate (what it is on) and absorb water and minerals. The stems hold the plant up. The leaves have to do a lot with the plant making food. Plants come in many varieties. Some plants are as large as Giant Sequoias, while others are as small as Rootless Duckweed. Plants can live from months to centuries. Some plants are climbers. They are called epiphytes. They reach out for objects to climb on. They like to climb on poles, fences, statues, and other plants (mainly trees). Some plants eat insects. These plants have moving parts, sticky substances, or pools of fluid to help them catch food. When these plants live...