Plants Key Terms

Grow with these key terms on the main functions and parts of a plant

By Denise Brown

A review of plants key terms can seem like a short trip back to high school biology class. While there are many individual parts of a plant, there are some key terms associated with processes and functions of plants that you should know if you are involved in any field related to horticulture, agriculture or botany. The terms that follow in this guide are a basic list to get you started.

Cultivars

Cultivars are plants that horticulturists and farmers specifically breed for use. These plants may grow in the wild, but typically people have been using them for a long time as food or fiber. Cultivars have specific genetic qualities that farmers and horticulturists want in crop production.
Try: The United States Department of Agriculture provides a definition of cultivars and specific information about them on its website.

Leaf venation

The veins of a plant take nutrients from the soil to the leaves. Different plants have different vein structures or leaf venation.
Try: Study the diagrams of leaf venation from Texas A&M University.

Pollination

Different species of plants have different means of reproducing themselves. The most common method is with flower pollination. During a flowering stage of growth, bees and other insects, as well as the wind, work to pollinate the flower so that a fruit or seed can form.
Try: Kent County Council has a diagram of the parts of the plant involved in the pollination process.

Germination

When a seed in the ground receives the right amount of moisture, it germinates. The outer hull of the seed splits open and allows the two parts of the seed inside to begin producing roots. The roots grow down into the soil and produce a stem that grows above ground to become a plant.
Try: Tooter4Kids has a simple explanation of the germination process.

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants make sugar that they use as food. The photosynthesis process is also beneficial to humans because it gives us oxygen as a by-product. Photosynthesis gives plants their typical green color as well.
Try: There is a detailed description of the photosynthesis process from Maricopa Community College.

Stoma

The plant's stoma controls how much water vapor and other gases, such as oxygen, the plant puts into the air. You can find stomas on the underside of leaves.
Try: The University of Washington has a detailed article on the stoma and its development.