Classification of Plants
In different places, we see that plants have different features. Because plants adapt and modify their parts according to their surroundings
We can divide plants into two categories, according to where they grow.
Terrestrial Plants are the plants that grow on land.
Aquatic Plants are plants that grow in water.
Classification of plants based on their Habitat
Terrestrial plants are divided into four groups according to their surroundings.
Plants that grow in cold, hilly areas:
The trees that grow here have straight and tall trunks and needle-like leaves. They are called coniferous trees. The sloping shape of the trees makes the snow to fall off easily.
Conifer trees do not have flowers. They have cones which have seeds inside. Conifers have needle-like
leaves. Those leaves are very tough and they can withstand the cold and snow.
We see the pine, spruce, cedar (deodar) and fir trees in these areas.
Plants that grow in the plains:The trees and plants in the plains have many branches and numerous leaves. New leaves grow periodically.
Teak, babul, shisham, palash, etc. are the common trees in the plains.
Plants that grow in coastal areas:Many kinds of plants grow well in hot and wet areas. Palm, tamarind, rubber and coconut are the trees that grow well in this type of climate.
Plants that grow in marshy areas:Marshy areas have wet and clayey soil. In these areas, the water does not drain properly, and plants live in damp soil. The roots of these plants cannot breathe as they are submerged in water. So, the roots grow from the sides of the plant and they are called breathing roots.
The Mangrove, Rhizophora and Avicennia are the plants that grow in marshy areas.
Plants that grow in deserts:The ground in deserts is dry. There is very little water because it rarely rains in deserts. Yet some plants grow and survive. Their roots go very deep into the ground and they are adapted to get whatever water is available. The cactus, palm, mesquite tree, are some of the plants that grow in deserts.
Classification of plants based on Shedding of Leaves
We have two types of trees according to the way they shed their leaves.
Deciduous trees shed their leaves in autumn, and new leaves grow in spring. So, for a few months of winter, the trees do not have many leaves.
Ever green plants
Evergreen trees keep shedding and growing new leaves throughout the year. As the leaves do not fall off at one time, there is a green cover on the trees all through the year.
