General Plant Anatomy

Concept sheet | Science and Technology

The vast majority of plants have three structures in common: roots, stem, and leaves. To these can be added structures related to reproduction such as flowers and fruits.

A flowering plant is made up of: ​ ​

​Flowers

​These are the reproductive organs of the plant.

​Leaves

Leaves are responsible for cellular respiration and photosynthesis.

​Stem

The stem bears the leaves and flowers. It carries the sap (and therefore water and mineral salts) to the leaves and flowers.

Roots

Roots allow the plant to anchor itself in the soil. They serve to draw water and mineral salts necessary for the development of the plant.

The fruits and flowers are essentially linked to reproduction. Here is a diagram showing the parts of the flower.

In a flower, from the outside to the inside, there are:

  • ​sepals;

  • petals;

  • stamens (male reproductive organs);

  • pistil (female reproductive organ);

  • ovary.

Once the ova of the flower have undergone fertilization, the flower turns into a fruit. The following diagram shows the main structures of a fruit.