4th Class Science Plants and Animals Terrestrial Plants

       Terrestrial Plants

Plants that grow on land are called terrestrial plants. Terrestrial plants are of different types depending on the condition they grow in.  

         Plants on Mountains

Plants on mountains and hills are tall, straight and have slopping shape to make the snow fall off easily. They are usually flowerless and have cones with seeds inside them. The leaves are needle like with waxy coating. For example, fir, deodar, pine, cedar, small flowerless plants like ferns, lichens and mosses etc.

               Pine tree                                                   Deodar tree                                              Lichens  

         Plants in the Plain

These plants grow in plain, flat, surface of the earth. Trees have several branches and leaves. Many of these plants grow in warmer climate of the plains and shed most of their leaves in autumn. Example, Neem, Peepal, Ashoka and Mango.

             Mango tree                                                    Pipal tree                                             Ashok tree                

         Evergreen Plants

The evergreen plants of the plain are those which grow in hot and wet climate.

Example, Tea, Coffee, Rubber.

             Tea Plants                                         Coffee Plant                                   Rubber Plant  

       Plants in Deserts

Desert is a place with hot weather, very little water and scanty rainfall. Plants growing in these places are called desert plants. These plants develop certain features that help them to survive the harsh conditions of the desert. Roots are spread out just under the surface of the soil to catch the smallest amount of water. These plants have leaves in the form of spines or don't have any leaf at all to prevent water loss. Desert plants store water in its stem. Stem carry out photosynthesis. The plants use water stored in their stem when no water is available. For example, cactus, babul, kikar

                   Cactus                                                                                                     Babul  

         Plants on Sea Cost

These are the plants that grow on the sea cost. Here the water is very salty and area has high rainfall examples coconut arch, nut.

         Coconut tree                                              Nut tree  

         Plants in Area with Heavy Rainfall

They are the evergreen plants and remain green almost round the year. Example rubber, teak, rice, cotton and sugarcane.

         Orchid                                              Cotton                                                        Rice  

       Plants in Marshy/Swampy Area

The place, where the soil is very clayey and sticky is called marshy area and the plants growing there are the marshy plants. Major problem for the growth of plant here is oxygen, which cannot reach the roots of the plants. To overcome this problem, plants here have breathing roots to absorb air. Example, mangroves.

             Mangroves      

A notch in a tree will remain at the same height from the ground, as the tree grows.

Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew cannabis sativa (marijuana) on their plantations.

The first diesel engine ran on peanut oil.

Brazilian engineers have developed a way to produce bio-diesel using coffee oil extracted from bad quality coffee beans.

Autotrophs: Organisms capable of making their own food.

Photosynthesis: Process by which green plants make their food using carbon dioxide, water and sunlight.

Respiration: Process that provides energy and the carbon skeleton for the growth and maintenance of plants.

Aquatic plants: Plants which live in or on the water surface.

Non-green plants: Plants which do not have chlorophyll are called non-green plants.

Terrestrial plants: Plants that live and grow on the land.