Hypocotyl
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Botanical Term |
Hypocotyl |
 Anther, Ovary, Style |
Hypocotyl The hypocotyl is the area of the embryo that lies between the cotyledons and the radicle. It is the portion of the future seedling which will form the stem of the plant. |
 Embryo, Endosperm, Seed Coat |
© Gardens and Nature 2012
March 28, 2012
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Posted in: Botany
Hoagy Carmichael Room
Hoagy Carmichael Room
Morrison Hall – Room 006
Bloomington IN 47405
(812) 855-4679
The Hoagy Carmichael Room is a lively memorial to Indiana’s famous songwriter and performing artist. The room contains a selection of the extensive memorabilia collection donated to Indiana University, Hoagy’s alma mater, by the Carmichael family. Open by appointment, or go to room 117 in Morrison Hall during office hours. Operated by the Archives of Traditional Music.
The Hoagy Carmichael Room is open by appointment (812/855-4679) during regular Archives’ hours.
March 27, 2012
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Posted in: Uncategorized
Radicle
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Botanical Term |
Radicle |
|
Anther, Ovary, Style |
Radicle |
Embryo, Endosperm, Seed Coat |
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March 27, 2012
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Posted in: Botany
Imbibe
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Botanical Term |
Imbibe |
|
Anther, Ovary, Style |
Embryo, Endosperm, Seed Coat |
Imbibe
Imbibe, or the process of imbibation, is the process of absorbing water. Strictly speaking, imbibation occurs when a substance absorbs water and does not dissolve in it. During imbibation the dehydrated seed absorbs water and swells dramatically. Germination in most seeds will begin immediatly after the process of imbibing water.
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March 26, 2012
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Posted in: Botany
Seed Germination
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Hypocotyl Cotyledons Plumule |
 Twenty Early Spring Wildflowers - Abe Edwards |
Seeds have an amazing ability to survive tough conditions. Seed hundreds, if not thousands, of years old have been successfully germinated. Seed can survive in the soil for many years until conditions are right for the seed to germinate.
There are three basic conditions required for seed germination once dormancy breaking conditions, if the seed was truly dormant, are met. These conditions are that the seed is supplied with the proper amount of water, the correct soil temperature is attained and that there is a sufficient supply of oxygen in the soil. Some seeds additionally need light, others must have light excluded, depending upon the species of plant involved for germination to occur.
Most flower and vegetable seeds have no true dormancy and are ready to plant at any time. General soil temperatures for these seeds vary somewhat for different seeds, but most will germinate at a soil temperature between sixty five and eighty degrees. The soil must be moist, but not soggy and the soil should be loosened, if planting outside, by tilling or other cultivation to introduce oxygen into the soil. Good potting soil should already be porous and contain enough oxygen for germination to occur.
The first thing the seed that is ready to germinate does is imbibe water. The seed is dry, usually about two percent moisture content, so it has the ability to take in a lot of water. The seed begins to swell and will swell faster than the seed coat which covers it. The seed coat will rip at this point, allowing the radicle, or seed root, to emerge. This structure’s first duty is to anchor the germinating seedling in the soil. Once the radicle has emerged, the hypocotyl emerges. The hypocotyl is the future stem of the plant and its job during germination is to raise the cotyledons, or seed leaves, above the soil. Energy for germination to this point has been supplied by the nutrients which have been stored in the endosperm of the seed. When the cotyledons emerge food stores within them are used to complete the germination process.
There are a lot of chemical processes underway right now. It is not within the scope of this article to detail those processes. Suffice it to say that the germinating seed uses oxygen from the soil to fuel the process of burning the energy stored within the seeds to germinate.
The cotyledons are folded together when they emerge, protecting the plumule, or primary leaves. Once the seedling is erect, the cotyledons unfold and the plumule emerges. In many plant species the cotyledons at this point wither away, their purpose finished. In others the chlorophyll in them becomes active, they turn green and they begin the process of manufacturing food from light for the plant until the first leaves develop and then they wither and fall away.
Once the plumule emerges the process of germination is complete and the seed is no longer a seed. It is a developing plant ready to grow, flower and complete the process for which it was intended.
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March 23, 2012
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Tags: Seeds · Posted in: Botany
Early Spring May Wildflowers
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Flower photo |
Here in southeastern Indiana the early spring wildflower season begins in early April with the emergence of the spring beauty in the woodland. These are followed by snow white cut leaved toothwort and blue phlox. These early bloomers must take advantage to the sunlight they will receive during these early spring days before the leaf canopy develops. This early season burst of early spring color encompasses the months of April and May. By mid May the leaves have emerged and most of the early spring flower will develop their seed pods and then go dormant until the next spring. The names of the more common early spring wildflowers are posted below. Most of these are woodland flowers.
The wildflowers of the woodlands are the first to bloom here in Indiana, usually by late March and certainly by early April. These flowers of the deep forest must get an early start, before the tree canopy fills in and blocks the availability of sunlight. The early show of spring beauties, trilliums, and dog tooth lilies signals the arrival of spring. The northern deciduous forests can put on quite a show of color during the spring months, and there is no corresponding season of color in the tropical forests to the south.
The forests and woodlands of Indiana sport an interesting array of wildflowers. Shooting stars, Virginia bluebells, wood sorrel and cut leaved toothworts make up just a portion of the variety you will see. If you want to see them though, don’t dally. The springtime woodland show usually only lasts a month to six weeks, from approximately early April until late April into early May. By then the early bloomers are wrapping things up, to be replaced by the later blooming flowers of spring.
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March 22, 2012
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Posted in: Wildflower
Pappus
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Botanical Term |
Pappus |
|
Anther, Ovary, Style |
Embryo, Endosperm, Seed Coat |
Pappus
The pappus is the feathery, light attachment on a seed. The feathery attachment can also be quite efficient and plants like the dandelion, thistle and erigeron are spread far and wide using the winds and their agents of dispersal.
© Gardens and Nature 2012
March 2, 2012
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Tags: Seeds · Posted in: Botany
Hydrochory
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Botanical Term |
Hydrochory |
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Anther, Ovary, Style |
Embryo, Endosperm, Seed Coat |
Hydrochory
Hydrochory is seed dispersal by water. Many plants live in or near water and use it to disperse their seeds (hydrochory). In many cases of aquatic plants the seed drops from the plant and floats on top of the water until the seed coat become saturated. The seed then drops to the bottom and germinates. Other seeds are carried along by the current drift to there side of the watercourse where it will germinate along the waterline. Seeds like the coconut may float long distances over the oceans using its currents to disperse its seed many thousands of miles from the parent plant.
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March 2, 2012
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Tags: Seeds · Posted in: Botany
Myrmecochory
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Botanical Term |
Myrmecochory |
|
Anther, Ovary, Style |
Embryo, Endosperm, Seed Coat |
Myrmecochory
Myrmecochory is seed dispersal by ants. Seeds which use ants usually have a structure which contains rich substance like fatty acids, amino acids and sugars attached to the seed. The ants carry the seed to their colony and feed the substance to their larvae. The seed is unharmed by this action. The seed is discarded by the ants after the substance is consumed and the seed can them germinate far from the parent plant.
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March 2, 2012
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Tags: Seeds · Posted in: Botany
Samara
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Botanical Term |
Samara |
|
Anther, Ovary, Style |
Embryo, Endosperm, Seed Coat |
Samara
The Samara is a winged structure on certain types of seeds which aid in wind dispersal of seeds. Many trees like ash, maple and birch have seeds with samara. The samara allows the seed to flutter or glide on the wind.
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March 1, 2012
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Tags: Seeds · Posted in: Botany
