Plants, GES-HOA
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
Gesneriaceae, one of 23 families in the flowering plant order Lamiales, consisting of 147 genera and about 3,200......
gherkin, (Cucumis anguria), annual trailing vine of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), grown for its edible fruit.......
ghost pepper, (Capsicum chinense), small-fruited pepper in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), one of the hottest......
giant reed, (Arundo donax), tall perennial grass of the family Poaceae. Giant reed is found in wetlands and riparian......
giant sequoia, (Sequoiadendron giganteum), coniferous evergreen tree of the cypress family (Cupressaceae), the......
gillyflower, any of several scented flowering plants, especially the carnation, or clove pink (Dianthus caryophyllus),......
ginger, (Zingiber officinale), herbaceous perennial plant of the family Zingiberaceae, probably native to southeastern......
ginger lily, (genus Hedychium), genus of about 70 species in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), found mostly in......
ginkgo, (Ginkgo biloba), deciduous gymnosperm tree (family Ginkgoaceae), native to China. Ginkgo has been planted......
ginkgophyte, any member of the division Ginkgophyta, a group of gymnospermous plants of particular interest to......
ginseng, (genus Panax), genus of 12 species of medicinal herbs of the family Araliaceae. The root of Asian ginseng......
gladiolus, (genus Gladiolus), genus of about 300 species of flowering plants of the iris family (Iridaceae), native......
glasswort, (genus Salicornia), genus of about 30 species of annual succulent herbs in the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae).......
Gleicheniaceae, the forking fern family (order Gleicheniales), containing 6 genera and about 125 species. This......
globe amaranth, (Gomphrena globosa), ornamental garden plant of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae), grown for......
globeflower, any of about 20 species of perennial herbaceous plants constituting the genus Trollius of the buttercup......
Gloriosa, genus of tuberous-rooted plants of the family Colchicaceae, native to tropical Africa and Asia. There......
glory-bower, the genus Clerodendrum (Clerodendron), consisting of about 400 herbs, vines, shrubs, and trees of......
Glossopteris, genus of fossilized woody plants known from rocks that have been dated to the Permian and Triassic......
gloxinia, (Sinningia speciosa), perennial flowering plant of the family Gesneriaceae. Gloxinias are native to Brazil......
Gnetaceae, a family of tropical gymnosperms in the order Gnetales (division Gnetophyta), composed of one genus,......
gnetophyte, (division Gnetophyta), any member of the division Gnetophyta, a small group of gymnospermous vascular......
goatgrass, (genus Aegilops), genus of about 20 species of grasses (family Poaceae) native to Eurasia and North......
goatsbeard, (Aruncus dioicus), herbaceous perennial plant of the rose family (Rosaceae), native to the north temperate......
Karl von Goebel was a German botanist whose Organographie der Pflanzen (1898–1901; Organography of Plants, 1900–05)......
golden chain, (Laburnum anagyriodes), small tree or shrub of the pea family (Fabaceae), cultivated as an ornamental.......
golden larch, (Pseudolarix amabilis), coniferous tree of the family Pinaceae, native to China. A golden larch resembles......
golden rice, a genetically modified rice (Oryza sativa) that has been engineered to biosynthesize beta-carotene,......
goldenrain tree, (Koelreuteria paniculata), flowering tree of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), native to East......
goldenrod, (genus Solidago), genus of about 150 species of weedy, usually perennial herbs of the aster family (Asteraceae).......
goldenseal, (species Hydrastis canadensis), perennial herb native to woods of the eastern United States. Its rootstocks......
goldentop, (Lamarckia aurea), annual grass of the family Poaceae, native to the Mediterranean region. Goldentop......
Goodeniaceae, the goodenia family of the aster order (Asterales), containing 12 genera and about 440 species, chiefly......
gooseberry, any of several species of flowering shrubs of the genus Ribes (family Grossulariaceae), cultivated......
goosefoot, (genus Chenopodium), genus of several weedy salt-tolerant plants belonging to the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae),......
gordonia, any of some 70 species in the genus Gordonia of the tea family (Theaceae). The genus is native to North......
gorse, Any of several related plants of the genera Ulex and Genista. Common gorse (U. europaeus) is a spiny, yellow-flowered......
gourd, any of the hard-shelled fruits of certain members of the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. Many gourds are cultivated......
grains of paradise, pungent seeds of Aframomum melegueta, a reedlike plant of the family Zingiberaceae. Grains......
grama grass, (genus Bouteloua), genus of about 50 species of annual or perennial grasses in the family Poaceae.......
granite moss, any of the plants of the order Andreaeales of the subclass Andreaeidae, comprising a single family,......
grape, (genus Vitis), genus of about 60 to 80 species of vining plants in the family Vitaceae, native to the north......
grape hyacinth, (genus Muscari), genus of about 50 species of small bulbous perennials (family Asparagaceae, formerly......
grapefruit, (Citrus ×paradisi), citrus tree of the Rutaceae family and its edible fruit. The grapefruit probably......
grass, any of many low, green, nonwoody plants belonging to the grass family (Poaceae), the sedge family (Cyperaceae),......
grass of Parnassus, (Parnassia), any of about 15 species of low perennial herbs, in the family Parnassiaceae, distributed......
grass tree, (genus Xanthorrhoea), genus of about 30 species of slow-growing perennial plants (family Asphodelaceae)......
gray birch, (Betula populifolia), slender ornamental tree of the family Betulaceae, found in clusters on moist......
Asa Gray was an American botanist whose extensive studies of North American flora did more than the work of any......
greasewood, (species Sarcobatus vermiculatus), North American weedy shrub of the Sarcobataceae family. Greasewood......
green bean, widely cultivated, edible-podded legume of the species Phaseolus vulgaris. See...
green onion, young onions (family Amaryllidaceae) harvested when their tops are green and the underdeveloped bulbs......
greenheart, (Chlorocardium rodiei), valuable South American timber tree of the laurel family (Lauraceae). A large......
greenhood, (genus Pterostylis), genus of more than 100 species of terrestrial orchids (family Orchidaceae) native......
Nehemiah Grew was an English botanist, physician, and microscopist, who, with the Italian microscopist Marcello......
ground cherry, (genus Physalis), genus of some 80 species of small herbaceous plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae),......
groundnut, any of several plants that bear edible fruit or other nutlike parts. Three are members of the family......
groundsel, (genus Senecio), large genus of about 1,200 species of flowering plants in the aster family (Asteraceae)......
growth ring, in a cross section of the stem of a woody plant, the increment of wood added during a single growth......
guarana, (Paullinia cupana), woody, climbing plant, of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), native to the Amazon......
guava, (Psidium guajava), small tropical tree or shrub of the family Myrtaceae, cultivated for its edible fruits.......
guayule, (Parthenium argentatum), rubber-containing desert shrub of the family Asteraceae, native to the north-central......
Gunnerales, small order of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing two families, Gunneraceae and Myrothamnaceae,......
Guzmania, genus of about 85 species of tropical American and West Indian epiphytes (plants that are supported by......
gymnosperm, any vascular plant that reproduces by means of an exposed seed, or ovule—unlike angiosperms, or flowering......
habanero, a variety of the chili pepper species Capsicum chinense, grown for its edible pungent fruit that is one......
Gottlieb Haberlandt was an Austrian botanist, pioneer in the development of physiological plant anatomy, and the......
hackberry, any of several trees of the genus Celtis, with about 70 species in the hemp family (Cannabaceae), that......
hair-cap moss, any of the plants of the genus Polytrichum (subclass Bryidae) with 39–100 species; it often forms......
Stephen Hales was an English botanist, physiologist, and clergyman who pioneered quantitative experimentation in......
Albrecht von Haller was a Swiss biologist, the father of experimental physiology, who made prolific contributions......
Halogeton, genus of nine species of weedy plants in the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae), native to southwestern......
Hamamelidaceae, the witch hazel family (order Saxifragales), comprising about 30 genera and about 100 species of......
harebell, (Campanula rotundifolia), widespread, slender-stemmed perennial of the family Campanulaceae. The harebell......
hare’s-tail grass, (Lagurus ovatus), annual grass of the family Poaceae, native to shores of the Mediterranean......
hawkweed, (genus Hieracium), genus of more than 100 species of weedy herbs of the aster family (Asteraceae), native......
hawthorn, (genus Crataegus), large genus of thorny shrubs or small trees in the rose family (Rosaceae), native......
hazelnut, (genus Corylus), genus of about 15 species of shrubs and trees in the birch family (Betulaceae) and the......
heartwood, dead, central wood of trees. Its cells usually contain tannins or other substances that make it dark......
heath, (genus Erica), genus of about 800 species of low evergreen shrubs of the family Ericaceae. Most heath species......
heather, (Calluna vulgaris), low evergreen shrub of the heath family (Ericaceae), widespread in western Europe......
Hechtia, genus of semidesert plants of the pineapple family (Bromeliaceae), consisting of about 35 New World species,......
hedgehog cactus, (genus Echinocereus), genus of about 60 species of cacti (family Cactaceae), native from central......
heirloom plant, any plant cultivar that has been grown for a certain number of years and that breeds “true to type”......
heliconia, (genus Heliconia), the only genus of the family Heliconiaceae, with nearly 200 species of flowering......
heliotrope, (genus Heliotropium), genus of mostly herbaceous plants in the family Boraginaceae, distributed in......
hellebore, member of either of two genera of poisonous herbaceous plants, Helleborus and Veratrum, some species......
helleborine, any of the orchids of the two similar genera Cephalanthera and Epipactis (family Orchidaceae). The......
Helwingia, genus of three species of shrubs, constituting the family Helwingiaceae in the order Aquifoliales. Native......
hemlock, (genus Tsuga), any of about 14 species of coniferous evergreen trees comprising the genus Tsuga of the......
hemp, (Cannabis sativa), plant of the family Cannabaceae cultivated for its bast fibre or its edible seeds. Hemp......
hen-and-chicks, any of a number of succulent plants of the genera Echeveria and Sempervivum, in the family Crassulaceae;......
henbane, (Hyoscyamus niger), highly toxic plant of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), native to Eurasia and naturalized......
henequen, (Agave fourcroydes), fibre plant of the asparagus family (Asparagaceae), native to Mexico and Guatemala.......
henna tree, (Lawsonia inermis), tropical shrub or small tree of the loosestrife family (Lythraceae), native to......
hepatica, (genus Hepatica), any of about seven species of small herbaceous plants of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae)......
herbaceous plant, any vascular plant that does not have true woody tissues. Herbaceous angiosperms (flowering plants)......
hibiscus, (genus Hibiscus), genus of numerous species of herbs, shrubs, and trees in the mallow family (Malvaceae)......
hickory, (genus Carya), genus of about 18 species of deciduous timber and nut-producing trees of the walnut family......
Dennis Robert Hoagland American plant physiologist and authority on plant and soil interactions. Hoagland graduated......