Plant morphology facts for kids

A seedling of European beech. The first "seed leaves" are dark green in color. They have a different shape than the second pair of leaves which is light green.

Plant morphology or phytomorphology is the study of the physical form and external structure of plants. This is usually considered distinct from plant anatomy, which is the study of the internal structure of plants, especially at the microscopic level. Plant morphology is useful in the visual identification of plants.

Images for kids

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  Inflorescences emerging from protective coverings

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  Asclepias syriaca showing complex morphology of the flowers.

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  Looking up into the branch structure of a Pinus sylvestris tree

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  Variation in leaves from the giant ragweed illustrating positional effects. The lobed leaves come from the base of the plant, while the unlobed leaves come from the top of the plant.

See also

In Spanish: Morfología vegetal para niños