Science & Nature

A shrub is a woody plant that does not grow very tall, usually less than 10 to 15 feet, and is often characterized by multiple stems instead of just having one central trunk. There are many types...

Castor oil is a pale yellow plant oil produced from the seed of the castor oil plant, or Ricinus communis. The plant is native to India and Africa, and can also be found in the warmer...

The part of a plant that shelters seeds until they mature is called the fruit. Apples and pears are examples of fleshy fruit; peas and nuts are examples of dry fruit. A plant's fruit not only...

Cells are the building blocks of life. Plant cells can be one-celled organisms such as algae. Plant cells can also be specialized with each cell having a specific task with the cells working...

Flowers produce an abundance of seeds to ensure the survival of the species. In order to germinate, the seeds first need to be dispersed. Then all the conditions must be right for the seeds to...

Sending a flower or a plant is a great gift idea, and the surprise of having someone show up to deliver a thoughtful bouquet or new addition to your plant family is always appreciated. Sending a...

Plant respiration is the opposite of photosynthesis, which is a biological process performed by green plants that creates oxygen and releases it into the air. During respiration, plants absorb...

Fossils are remains or signs of organisms that have passed, though the term is generally applied to ancient organisms. Fossils fall into two broad categories: preservation with alteration and...

If you live near a large body of water, you may have seen seagrass. It is a distinctive plant that is valuable to the marine environment and the larger ecosystem.

Phytopthora infestans is the fungus responsible for the Irish Potato famine of the 1800s. It is a parasitic organism that can only live in association with a potato plant host. P. infestans can...

Although now grown in greenhouses all over the world, the Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant that was originally only found in boggy areas of coastal North and South Carolina, near the state...

Flowers classification is a scientific endeavor that requires close examination of the flower specimen and the ability to identify all the different flower parts. This task is usually first...

Proteases are enzymes that break down proteins. Proteases are involved in regulating practically every aspect of plant life cycles. Proteases are involved in cellular activities in all living...

Grape plants cool themselves the same way as all plants. Because plants are mostly composed of water and they pull water through up through their stems and through the leaves, they are well...

Onions are among the most common ingredients in savory dishes. Their aromatic smell and distinctive flavor make them essential in many soups, curries, stews and casseroles. In addition to their...

Agave is a plant that is most commonly associated tequila, which is made from its sap. The sap is also boiled down and used as a syrupy sweetener. For centuries, indigenous Americans have also...

Plasmodiophora brassicae is a protist, a micro-organism that develops inside plant tissue causing the growth of scabs or galls. It causes club root in members of the cruciferie (mustard) family...

While it may be hard to believe, most of the food a young plant needs to get its start is stored inside the seed that it grew from. Until the plant can produce leaves and make its own food, it is...

The stomata are tiny pores in leaves that perform many functions for plants. They are a vital part of the process of photosynthesis, through their involvement in gas exchange, and the entrance and...

Whether you live in the city or the country, Arbor Day offers an ideal opportunity to raise children's awareness of the importance of caring for the environment. Arbor Day falls in late April to...

Photosynthesis allows plants to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates in the form of sugars and starches. Plants carry a green chemical called chlorophyll that, when combined with...

Ecosystems are in a constant state of flux. Living and non-living components change, and thus the dependencies fluctuate as well. Plant species composition can be altered by environmental or human...

Colored lights affect plant growth due to the role of light in photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use light energy to create glucose for food from carbon dioxide and the...

The stems of green leafy plants aid the growth of the plants in two ways: They support the leaf structure, and they also contain the vascular system of the plant, which transports water and...

Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) grows on the limbs and branches of large trees, but this common plant that grows from the Southern United States to Argentina is not parasitic; it merely...

Ironically, the stability of ecosystems relies on disturbance. Natural disturbances like fire and wind shaped environments, and in turn, influenced the wildlife that would inhabit an ecosystem....

Plants use a process called photosynthesis to create food. It requires a combination of water, light energy and carbon dioxide for the chemical reaction to take place. In order for photosynthesis...

Fossils help scientists understand how life may have been millions of years ago. While we've all heard of animal fossils, especially those of prehistoric humans and dinosaurs, you may not have...

Stomata are anatomical features that are located on the underside of the leaves of plants that live on land. These structures, which are the 'pores' of the plant's skin, provide openings for the...

A mychorrhizal association is a symbiotic relationship between a plant and fungi that has proven to be beneficial for both of them. This association promotes plant health and growth; it gives it a...

Vascular plants are plants that use specialized tissue for transporting food and water to different areas in the plant. Examples of vascular plants include trees, flowers, grasses and vines. ...

A major and fundamental difference between animal cells and plant cells is that plant cells have a cell wall and animal cells do not. The cell wall is not to be confused with the cell membrane;...

Mullein is a tall, leafy herb that grows wild in many places in the United States. Mullein is a biennial, with a life cycle that spans two years, but the plant's seeds can survive for decades.

Green plants use photosynthesis to create energy from carbon dioxide and sunlight. This energy, in the form of glucose, is used by the plant to grow and fuel the necessary reproductive activities...

The forest is an important part of the Michigan landscape, with over 100 species of trees populating more than 50 percent of the state. According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources,...

Endangered plants often do not receive the amount of attention that endangered animals do, especially those from Africa. While they may not be as cute and cuddly, plants are an important part of...

Aconitum is the genus of a flowering plant that has over 100 species. Common names include monkshood and wolfsbane. The plant is grown in gardens and yards for its beauty and is also used in...

Pollen is a plant's male DNA that is transported to the female part of the flower to enable the plant to reproduce. Because pollen contains DNA, it can be used to change a plant's traits. Such...

Plant cells have a structure that separates them from all other organisms. While plant cells have many features that are the same as other types of cells, certain natural developments stand out...

Both plant and animal cells contain numerous organelles, specialized parts similar to organs in the body that allow them to function. Some of these organelles are unique to plant cells, giving...

Onion cells are one of the classic choices for study in early levels of biology lab work. Easily obtained, and providing a clear view of cell structures, they allow a new student a chance to...

Seed plants include a wide diversity of organisms, from huge redwoods to the tiny duckweed living on a pond surface. Not all seed plants are flowering plants, though. Conifers (like the redwoods...

Photosynthesis is the primary energy conversion method that fuels the plant world and, by extension, the animal world. In converting light energy to chemical energy, photosynthesis is the core...

Red clover is a commonly grown legume used for a range of purposes. As hay, as a source of nectar for honey bees and as pasture the plant provides many services and products. One of its most...

The light-dependent stage of photosynthesis is closely related to the plant's green coloring. As sunlight hits the leaves of the plant, yellow and green light are reflected while red and blue...

Chlorophyll in the plant's cells absorbs light waves hitting the green portions of the plant. The capturing of the light energy allows the chlorophyll to pull electrons from water. This creates...

If a plant dies and falls into a body of water or other place that is poor in oxygen, it falls to the bottom where it becomes buried by sediment. Over tens of thousands of years, more layers of...

Commercial nuclear power peaked in the United States in the 1970s. However, in 2009 it appears to be due for a comeback. New reactor designs offer potentially better safety and produce less waste....

Ragworts are a group of species within the aster family. Tansy ragwort, a native of Eurasia, was imported to the New World as a medicinal plant, and has since become an invasive pest plant. It is...

Nematodes are simple, unsegmented worms. In sheer numbers, more nematodes live on the earth than any other type of animal, including insects. They are extremely diverse. Many are microscopic. The...