Plants, THI-WAT
Life on Earth owes much to plants. The vast majority of plants carry out photosynthesis to transform light energy into chemical energy, which is the way that virtually all energy in the biosphere becomes available to living things (including us humans). Plants occupy the base of Earth's food webs and are consumed directly or indirectly by all higher life-forms, thereby functioning as the major source of food for humans and other animals. Plants' photosynthetic activity also produces the air that we breathe: almost all the oxygen in the atmosphere is due to the process of photosynthesis. Still not convinced about the merits of plants? Consider the fact that many plants not only serve up crucial nutrients and breathable air but also look good doing it. Many plants are admired for their striking aesthetic qualities, and flowers such as tulips, lilies, sunflowers, and daisies beautify fields, gardens, windowsills, and bouquets the world over. Plants are also a primary source of consumer goods, such as building materials, textile fibers, and pharmaceuticals.
Plants Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Kenneth V. Thimann English-born American plant physiologist who isolated auxin, an important plant growth hormone.......
thistle, weedy species of Cirsium, Carduus, Echinops, Sonchus, and other plant genera of the family Asteraceae.......
thyme, (Thymus vulgaris), pungent herb of the mint family (Lamiaceae) known for the aroma and flavour of its dried......
ti, (genus Cordyline), genus of tropical trees and shrubs in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae), native to Asia,......
tickseed, any ornamental summer-blooming plant of the genus Coreopsis of the family Asteraceae, consisting of about......
tiger-flower, (genus Tigridia), genus of about 35 species of flowering plants of the iris family (Iridaceae) native......
Tillandsia, the most widely distributed genus of the pineapple family (Bromeliaceae), containing about 500 species......
timothy, (Phleum pratense), perennial grass of the family Poaceae. Timothy is native to most of mainland Europe......
titan arum, (Amorphophallus titanum), herbaceous flowering plant of the arum family (Araceae), known for its massive......
toadflax, (genus Linaria), genus of nearly 200 herbaceous flowering plants in the family Plantaginaceae native......
tobacco, common name of the plant Nicotiana tabacum and, to a limited extent, Aztec tobacco (N. rustica) and the......
tomatillo, (Physalis philadelphica), annual species of ground cherry of the nightshade family (Solanaceae) and......
tomato, (Solanum lycopersicum), flowering plant of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), cultivated extensively for......
top moss, (Physcomitrium pyriforme), a common species of urn moss formerly known as P. turbinatum. The common name......
topiary, the training of living trees and shrubs into artificial, decorative shapes. Thickly leaved evergreen shrubs......
torch cactus, any of several ribbed cylindrical cacti (family Cactaceae) native to South America. Many are cultivated......
torchwood, (genus Amyris), genus comprising 40 species of large shrubs or trees of the citrus family (Rutaceae)......
John Torrey botanist and chemist known for his extensive studies of North American flora. Torrey was educated at......
Torreya, a genus of approximately six species of ornamental trees and shrubs in the yew family (Taxaceae), distributed......
tossa jute, (Corchorus olitorius), annual herbaceous plant in the mallow family (Malvaceae), cultivated as a source......
Joseph Pitton de Tournefort French botanist and physician, a pioneer in systematic botany, whose system of plant......
trailing arbutus, (Epigaea repens), trailing plant of the heath family (Ericaceae), native to sandy or boggy, acid......
traveler’s tree, (Ravenala madagascariensis), plant of the family Strelitziaceae, so named because the water it......
tree, woody plant that regularly renews its growth (perennial). Most plants classified as trees have a single self-supporting......
tree fern, any of a group of relatively primitive ferns in the order Cyatheales, most of them characterized by......
tree mallow, (Lavatera arborea), biennial, herbaceous plant, of the hibiscus, or mallow, family (Malvaceae), native......
tree moss, any of the plants of the genus Climacium (order Bryales), which resemble small evergreen trees and are......
tree of heaven, (Ailanthus altissima), rapid-growing tree, in the family Simaroubaceae, native to China but widely......
tree poppy, (Dendromecon rigida), shrub or small tree of the poppy family (Papaveraceae), native to chaparral areas......
Trepospira, extinct genus of gastropods (snails) found as fossils in rocks of Devonian to Late Carboniferous age......
trillium, (genus Trillium), genus of about 25 species of spring-flowering perennial herbs of the family Melanthiaceae,......
triticale, wheat-rye hybrid that has a high yield and rich protein content. The first cross was reported in 1875......
Trochodendrales, a small order of dicotyledonous flowering plants comprising just one family (Trochodendraceae)......
tropism, response or orientation of a plant or certain lower animals to a stimulus that acts with greater intensity......
trumpet creeper, either of two species of ornamental vines of the genus Campsis (family Bignoniaceae, q.v.). Both......
Erich Tschermak von Seysenegg Austrian botanist, one of the co-discoverers of Gregor Mendel’s classic papers on......
tuberose, (Polianthes tuberosa), perennial garden plant of the asparagus family (Asparagaceae), cultivated for......
tuftybell, any of about 260 species of annual and perennial herbs of the genus Wahlenbergia, of the bellflower......
tulip, (genus Tulipa), genus of about 100 species of bulbous herbs in the lily family (Liliaceae), native to Central......
tulip tree, (Liriodendron tulipifera), North American ornamental and timber tree of the magnolia family (Magnoliaceae),......
tumbleweed, plant that breaks away from its roots and is driven about by the wind as a light rolling mass, scattering......
welwitschia, (Welwitschia mirabilis), unusual gymnosperm plant that is the sole member of the gnetophyte family......
tung tree, (Aleurites fordii), small Asian tree of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae), commercially valuable for......
tupelo, (genus Nyssa), genus of about nine species of trees belonging to the sour gum family (Nyssaceae). Five......
Turbina, a genus of some 15 species of plants, native in tropical America and Southeast Asia, belonging to the......
turmeric, (Curcuma longa), perennial herbaceous plant of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), the tuberous rhizomes,......
turnip, (Brassica rapa, variety rapa), hardy biennial plant in the mustard family (Brassicaceae), cultivated for......
twayblade, any of the orchids of the genera Liparis and Neottia (family Orchidaceae). The common name derives from......
twinflower, (Linnaea borealis), evergreen, creeping shrub of the family Caprifoliaceae, native to moist pinelands......
Ulmaceae, the elm family (order Rosales), with 6–7 genera of about 45 species of trees and shrubs, distributed......
umbrella pine, (Sciadopitys verticillata), coniferous evergreen tree endemic to Japan, the only member of the umbrella......
umbrella plant, any of several unrelated but similarly leaved plants. Cyperus alternifolius (family Cyperaceae),......
unicorn plant, any North American herb of the family Martyniaceae of the flowering plant order Lamiales, and particularly......
United States National Arboretum, arboretum in Washington, D.C., operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s......
urena, (Urena lobata), plant of the family Malvaceae; its fibre is one of the bast fibre group. The plant, probably......
urn moss, any plant of the genus Physcomitrium (subclass Bryidae), characterized by urn-shaped or top-shaped capsules......
Urticaceae, the nettle family (order Rosales) comprising about 54 genera and 2,625 species of herbs, shrubs, small......
Vaccinium, genus of about 450 species of shrubs, in the heath family (Ericaceae), found widely throughout the Northern......
Valerianoideae, the valerian subfamily of the family Caprifoliaceae (order Dipsacales), containing about 7 genera......
Vanda, genus of about 50 species of colourful orchids (family Orchidaceae) distributed from East Asia to Australia.......
vanilla, (genus Vanilla), any member of a group of tropical climbing orchids (family Orchidaceae) and the flavouring......
varnish tree, any of various trees whose milky juice is used to make a varnish or lacquer. The term is applied......
vascular plant, any of some 260,000 species of plants with vascular systems, including all of the conspicuous flora......
vascular system, in vascular plants, assemblage of conducting tissues and associated supportive fibres that transport......
Nikolai Vavilov Soviet plant geneticist whose research into the origins of cultivated plants incurred the animosity......
vegetable, in the broadest sense, any kind of plant life or plant product, namely “vegetable matter”; in common,......
velvet grass, (Holcus lanatus), perennial grass in the family Poaceae, native to Europe and Africa. Velvet grass,......
velvetleaf, (Abutilon theophrasti), annual hairy plant of the mallow family (Malvaceae) native to southern Asia.......
Venus flytrap, (Dionaea muscipula), perennial carnivorous plant of the sundew family (Droseraceae), notable for......
Venus’s looking glass, (Legousia, or Specularia, speculum-veneris), species of annual herb of the bellflower family......
Veratrum, genus of poisonous herbs of the family Melanthiaceae. The genus includes about 25 to 30 perennial species,......
verbena, any of several flowering plants of the genera Verbena and Glandularia in the family Verbenaceae, the majority......
Verbenaceae, family of plants, in the order Lamiales, a worldwide but mainly tropical grouping of 30 genera and......
vetch, (genus Vicia), genus of about 140 species of herbaceous plants in the pea family (Fabaceae). The fava bean......
vetiver, (Chrysopogon zizanioides), perennial grass of the family Poaceae, the roots of which contain an oil used......
viburnum, (genus Viburnum), any of about 175 shrubs and small trees belonging to the family Adoxaceae, native to......
vine, Plant whose stem requires support and that climbs by tendrils or twining or creeps along the ground, or the......
viola, (genus Viola), genus of about 500 species of herbs or low shrubs in the family Violaceae, including the......
Virginia creeper, (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), woody vine in the grape family (Vitaceae). It is commonly found......
Viscaceae, one of the mistletoe families of flowering plants of the sandalwood order (Santalales), including about......
Vitaceae, the grape family of flowering plants, in the buckthorn order (Rhamnales), comprising 12 genera of woody......
Vitales, grape order of flowering plants, a basal member in the rosid group of the core eudicots in the Angiosperm......
Voltzia, a genus of fossil cone-bearing plants dating to the Early Triassic epoch (beginning 251 million years......
Vriesea, genus of epiphytes (plants that are supported by another plant and have aerial roots exposed to the humid......
walking fern, fern that is a member either of the species Asplenium rhizophyllum, of eastern North America, or......
wallflower, (genus Erysimum), genus of about 180 species of plants belonging to the mustard family (Brassicaceae),......
walnut, (genus Juglans), genus of about 20 species of deciduous trees of the family Juglandaceae, native to North......
Johannes Eugenius Bülow Warming Danish botanist whose work on the relations between living plants and their surroundings......
wasabi, (Eutrema japonicum), plant of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) and a pungent paste made of its ground......
water chestnut, any of several species of water plants that are cultivated for their edible parts. Water chestnuts......
water fern, (genus Ceratopteris), small genus of aquatic ferns (family Pteridaceae). Ceratopteris consists of at......
water hemlock, (genus Cicuta), genus of four species of poisonous plants in the parsley family (Apiaceae), common......
water hyacinth, any aquatic plant of the genus Eichhornia of the pickerelweed family (Pontederiaceae), consisting......
water lily, (family Nymphaeaceae), family of about 60 species in 4 genera of freshwater flowering plants (order......
water milfoil, (genus Myriophyllum), genus of about 45 widely distributed species of submerged freshwater flowering......
water moss, (Fontinalis), genus of mosses belonging to the subclass Bryidae, often found in flowing freshwater......
water oak, (Quercus nigra), ornamental tree of the beech family (Fagaceae), native to the southeastern coastal......
water parsnip, any of several aromatic herbs of the genus Sium, especially S. latifolium, belonging to the parsley......
water plantain, (genus Alisma), any freshwater perennial herb of the genus Alisma (family Alismataceae), commonly......
water shield, (Brasenia schreberi), small purple-flowered aquatic plant of the fanwort family (Cabombaceae), found......