For a botanist to classify a plant according to the shape and type of its anatomy, he has to apply four different classifications in plant form: morphogenesis, mixed morphogenesis, aphyric form and endosymbiotic form. Morphogenesis is a specific form that can appear in a living plant; it is not a form that has developed in a lab or that is observed in non-living things. In plants, morphogenesis refers to proliferation of a cell from a prophase I to a prophase II prophase. For example, the production of seeds from an albino carrot is a form of morphogenesis. In mixed morphogenesis, development of both cell types and not just one kind are produced in the same plant; for instance, corkwood algae produce cork and other cork-like cells in a rhizome rather than the entire wormwood plant.
In a hypocellular form, cells are formed throughout a plant; these cells are differentiated into single cells by budding (splitting) or division. The division of cells in a hypocellular form occurs because of some stimulus. Sometimes, a single cell will divide in a matter of days without any stimuli. In other instances, cells may divide over a period of weeks to months, depending on the culture conditions, temperature and the availability of nutrients such as sugar, oxygen and carbon dioxide.
An aspheric form refers to a form in which the process of budding does not occur and no cells divide. Common examples of an aphyric plant are the aphyric corkwood algae. A corkwood algae has no chloroplasts (the cells that make up the cytoplasm of plant cells). A corkwood algae cell requires the aid of external stimuli in order to divide, such as the addition of sugar.
Morphology is affected by the arrangement of the stem structures in a plant. The arrangement of the stems affects the rate of photosynthesis (how plants convert sunlight into energy) and the distribution of water and nutrients throughout the plant. For example, the stem of a corkwood algae has six times the number of spirals per base when compared to the stem structure in a tomato plant. Thus, the total number of spirals and their location on the stem determines how quickly a plant can absorb energy and use it to grow. Similarly, in a cabbage plant, the position and number of the leaves affect how well the plant grows. The cabbage leaf is thin and has a lot of hooks that allow it to attach itself to other plants for mutual support.
Shape is also affected by the arrangement of the stems in a plant. A plant that has its stem placed on the underside of a blade of grass is unable to grow properly because the horizontal orientation of the grass stalks against the plant forces the plant to develop at a slower rate than if the stem had been upright. Similarly, a plant whose stem is placed on a tall pole is likely to grow more rapidly than a plant whose stem is set in a lower position. Morphology is affected not only by the growth habits of the plant but also by the shape of the soil and of the surrounding area. For example, if a plant needs low fertility, its shape can affect the rate of its growth.
In nature, all plants grow best where their shape is most congruent with the light gradient and where they can easily absorb light. For example, if a plant has red leaves, its chlorophyll content will be concentrated towards the top of the plant; whereas, if the leaves are green, its chlorophyll will be spread over a large area of the plant. Similarly, all stems should be perpendicular to the light gradient. This is why most flowering plants have tall and straight stems.
In nature, plants grow best in a variety of habitats. In nature, plants grow best where they can obtain most, if not all, of the light necessary for photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is a process by which matter is converted into energy. The amount of sunlight a plant receives determines whether or not it can photosynthesize and store energy for later use. Different plants have different requirements for photosynthesis. Some require high light to form photosque matter that is used for food while others are photosynthetic in the wild but use lower light to synthesize food for themselves in the laboratory.
Botanicals are single cells. Single-celled organisms are called eukaryotes (which means ‘single-celled’) while multicellulars are unicellular (which means ‘mucous’ or ‘plant-like’). Eukaryotic (and unicellular) plants have a prokaryotic cell wall, whereas unicellulars have a metalloprotein wall. The metalloprotein wall of metallopsies is called a protein wall, while that of bacteria or other unicellular is called a peptocarpal. A nonmetallic peptocarpal is a lipid membrane. Lipids have a chemical and physical activity that involves bonds between lipids and amino acids and are therefore involved in a reaction with enzymes (which are proteins).