The study of the form and internal structures of plants.
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1answer
72 views
Why do many fruit trees have five-petaled flowers?
Peach, pear, apple, cherry, and many other fruit trees seem to have flowers comprised of five petals. Assuming there is no evolutionary advantage to confusing students of trees, is there a plausible ...
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votes
2answers
64 views
What chemicals and structures control the *direction* of plant growth in leaves, stems and roots?
If you want a specific plant, let's say the snap peas I am growing that I bought at Agway. I noticed that they grow towards the light source through the nearby window. Also I think roots work the same ...
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votes
1answer
40 views
Plants without bacteria? is it theoretically possible?
I know from school, that all live on the Earth need bacteria as low-level "machines" that break down/extract/convert/produce chemical elements and combinations, other high-level organisms needed. But ...
5
votes
1answer
51 views
Does a plant have to be alive for its roots to prevent erosion?
One argument often given in favour of saving current and planting additional plants/saplings is the roots hold soil together and prevent soil erosion.
Unlike plants that may be uprooted, a large ...
8
votes
1answer
84 views
Why can't we breed watermelons without any remaining seeds in the flesh?
Watermelon is just starting to come in season in the northeastern U.S., and having a seedless watermelon is convenient. The only downside is, the "seedless" almost always still have the immature, ...
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votes
2answers
58 views
Is it possible to grow any kind of plant soilless (hydroponics)?
Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture and is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. [wikipedia]
My question is if is it possible to grow any kind of ...
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votes
0answers
83 views
Why are trichomes important for both the roots and shoots of plants?
In what ways are trichomes vital to the plant?
Why have them on the plant shoots as well?
9
votes
1answer
80 views
Why do cucurbits produce so much fluid when their stems are cut?
When carrying out some germination tests on species in the Cucurbitaceae, I notice that young plants of this family produce a lot of clear fluid when they are dissected. Most plants I dissect do not ...
7
votes
1answer
527 views
How can a monocot get so massive?
Some monocots (such as palms) are impressively thick and massive, yet botanists maintain that they don't have secondary growth. Why do botanists say this? How can it get so big without secondary ...
