Plants show a big variety. Some plants are very large, some are small and some are tiny. On the basis of their size and shaps, plants have been divided into the following three categories.

 

(i) Herbs

(ii) Shrubs

(iii) Trees

 

Plants with green and tender stems are called herbs. They are usually short and may not have many branches.

Some plants have the stem branching out near the base. The stem is hard but not very thick.

Such plants are called shrubs.

Some plants are very tall and have hard and thick brown stem. The stems have branches in the upper part, much above the ground. Such plants are called trees.

 

 

 

 

                                  

 

Plants with weak stems that can not stand upright and spread on the ground are called creepers eg. Bottie gourd, bitter gourd, pumpkin.

                              

 

Plants which take support on neighbouring structure and climb up are called climbers eg. Betel, grapes, Money plants.

                         

 

 

· The stem is the aerial part on which buds, leaves, flowers and fruits are borne.

· It grows from the plumule of the embryo of a seed.

· It form the main axis that connects the root system with the rest of the plant body.

· It grows away from the soil and towards sunlight.

· The stem may be branched or unbranched.

· The young stem is usually green and soft though it is hard and woody in some plants.

· Stem conduct water.

· Minerals dissolved in water also move up in the stem along with the water.

· The water and minerals go to leaves and other plant part attached to the stem through narrow 

tube inside the stem.

· The stem conducts water from roots to the leaves (and other parts) and food from leaves to 

other parts of the plant.

· The leaves grow on the stem at difinite points ca
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