Free Essay

Plants

In: Science

Submitted By KennethEPatt
Words 1534
Pages 7
There are many different types of plants on the planet earth, but one that stands out to me is the eucalyptus tree. Growing up as a kid, I always wondered how a plant could grow so tall towering over everything else and lasting for years and years through severe weather changes. Eucalyptus is flowering tree with several different types of species. The name is actually derived from the Greek word “eucalyptos,” which means “well covered,” and refers to the cuplike membrane that covers the budding flowers of the tree.2 They are mostly found in the continent of Australia, and few parts in Africa as well. The wood from eucalyptus trees are very hard and they are used to make furniture, fences, canoe boats and picture frames. These trees can grow really tall usually over 80 meters in height towering into the sky with wide spread leaves. Because of its large geographic range the genus exhibits many habits, from tall trees to multistemmed, shrubby species called mallees. The mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) of Victoria and Tasmania is the tallest hardwood in the world, reaching heights over 330 ft (100 m); only the coast redwoods of California are taller. Having epicormic buds in branches and stems, and lignotubers in the roots, many species are well adapted for surviving fire and drought. Some species have smooth bark, in which case they are referred to as gum-barked, while others have rough bark.1 To begin, the scientific name for the eucalyptus plant is Eucalyptus Globules. The Eucalyptus originated from the continent of Australia and they make up about 75% of the tree population in Australia.2 Many have wondered why they originated from Australia but it was discovered that they were a major source of food for the Kuala Bear which are mostly found in Australia. They are also found in other areas such as Africa, California and Southern areas of Europe. They are considered as a native tree in the state of Australia. The mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) of Victoria and Tasmania is the tallest hardwood in the world, reaching heights over 330 ft (100 m); only the coast redwoods of California are taller. Having epicormic buds in branches and stems, and lignotubers in the roots, many species are well adapted for surviving fire and drought. Some species have smooth bark, in which case they are referred to as gum-barked, while others have rough bark.1 Most species have white or cream flowers; however, some species, particularly those from Western Australia, produce spectacular red (E. ficifolia) or yellow (E. erythrocorys) flowers and are planted widely as ornamentals. These ornamental species are small in habit and drought-resistant. Eucalypt seed cases are woody, and many species produce so-called gumnuts.1 Eucalyptus trees are cultivated by farmers and others grow wild in forests. The major commercial species include mountain ash (E. regnans), alpine ash (E. delegatensis), mess-mate stringybark (E. obliqua), flooded gum (E. grandis), blackbutt (E. pilularis), spotted gum (E. maculata), jarrah (E. marginata), karri (E. diversicolor), tallowwood (E. microcorys), blue gum (E. globulus), and river red gum (E. camaldulensis). Heartwood is generally dense and varies in color from light brown, such as blackbutt, to dark red, such as jarrah.1 Eucalyptus trees usually grow under suitable environments such as wind direction, temperature, water and sunlight. They cope with very high temperatures by turning their leaves around. An interesting fact about these trees is that they are able to survive in harsh conditions such as after fires, droughts and high winds. Their roots spread deep under the ground and they are able to collect water from sources far beneath the ground, something which very few plants can do. Also, the eucalyptus trees produce other products which can be used for commercial purposes. One of these are the eucalyptus tree oil which is used medicinally, used in the production of perfumes and also used in industries. The barks of the trees also produce gum which is processed and sold commercially as gum. Also, wood from these plants are burnt and sold as charcoal which we use for barbequing, heating and other purposes. Hence these trees are cultivated by some for economic purposes as the wood the produced can be used by industry productions or can be exported to other countries. A great quality eucalypts possess is that they can be cut off from their trunks, and they will grow back again hence making them such a resourceful source of income for farmers and timbre industries. They are also cultivated in large farms to serve as wind breaks and protection against winds to other smaller growing crops. Transpiration is the system through which eucalyptus trees pull water from the soil to use for photosynthesis and other needs. They can be planted at any time of the year as they can adapt to many different climates. They grow up with brown trunks and bright green leaves which spread out to the atmosphere for sunlight absorption. Their roots go deep beneath the soil to extract water from underground sources. In flooded areas, the eucalyptus trees are planted to aid in drying the soil hence preventing a habitat for mosquitos and other water borne diseases. Eucalyptus trees require very little care as they grow up because they are able to adapt to changing conditions. Their leaves dry up and fall off as they grow which is greatly beneficial to the plant in terms of nourishing the soil around where it grows. They can be grown as potted plants but this is not encouraged as they grow very fast over time. When cultivated as a potted plant, they should be exposed to enough sunlight as this makes the growing process much easier. The leaves of a young eucalypt changes as it matures. Also, as the tree grows older, a gummy substance is produced by its bark which led many to call the eucalyptus tree “the gum tree.” Interestingly, there are several reasons why I choose to write about the eucalyptus plant. This plant has so many economic, medicinal, and environmental uses which makes it special. To begin, the wood from eucalypts are very hard and water resistant, hence they are used in manufacturing industries, catering to many purposes such as; used in building bridges, electric poles, canoes, and railways. They are also used in making quality furniture which can be sold for money. Paper is also made out of the wood from these trees therefore they serve printing industries as well. Secondly, leaves dried from these trees together with oil produced by them have been used greatly in the medicinal field. The dried leaves are used for treating respiratory infections, for cough, fevers and upset stomach. They are also used to treat burns, ulcers, acne issues and a wide range of infections.3 Eucalyptus oil which is distilled from its leaves is also used widely in pharmaceutical, industrial and fragrance companies. The oil is used in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections or possible inflammations. The eucalyptus oil is sold in different pharmacies in the form of ointments, inhalers, or lozenges. Eucalyptus oil is also used in the making of soaps and perfumes. The oil is made up of 70-85% 1, 8-cineole. The anti-microbial properties of eucalyptus oil helps in the making of mouth washes.4 Thirdly, eucalyptus trees are grown and used in the production of alternative energy such as biomass. Fourthly, they are grown by farmers to serve as wind blockers for other smaller crops that are being cultivated. Recently, a group of scientists travelled to Australia and came up with an interesting discovery about what they found growing in eucalyptus trees. Scientists had noticed gold particles on eucalyptus leaves but were not exactly sure where this came from. After much research, the discovered extremely tiny gold particles in the leaves of eucalyptus plants! They further explained that the gold particles had been pulled up by their deep roots all the way up the plants until they reached the leaves. This must also good news to the mining industries as they can have much of an idea on which areas to carry out mining for gold and other valuable stones.5 In conclusion, the eucalyptus plant is one interesting plant that grows fast and its products are used in a wide variety of fields such as timbre, medicinal, perfumery, pharmaceutical, and environmental. It most commonly grows in Australia where it’s a major food source for the Koala bear but its also found in some areas of Africa, in California and Europe. Its ability to survive in harsh environments such as fires makes it stand out. Its leaves have medicinal properties and the rich oil filtered from its leaves are used in a wide variety of areas. Amongst all, the eucalyptus tree goes down as one of the tallest trees in the world and they last for years constantly going through harsh climate changes but still surviving. All these properties shown by one plant caught my eye and made do research and write about the Eucalyptus plant. http://www.oznativeplants.com/plant/Eucalypt.html

http://koalainfo.com/koalas-food-eucalyptus-has-lower-levels-of-nutrition

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Plants

...Inquiry Research Paper Every plant is different. There are no two plants that are the same, nor are there two that grow the same way. Some plants grow in hot, dry environments while others grow in cold, damp environments. Some plants grow in the tropical rain forests while others grow in prairies. Even plants that are in the same family can grow in different climates and environments. Plants can be as similar as they are different. Plants need certain factors to be able to thrive in an environment. They need certain levels of water and sunlight. They need a certain type of soil and certain amount of shade. Plants are very picky on how, when and where they grow. The Beavertail Cactus, African Lilly, and Boston fern are three plants that are very different in many ways. They all grow in different regions and require different levels of abiotic factors. They are each unique in their own way and are ever different then the species in their families. The Beavertail Cactus is a part of the cactaceae, cactus family. It has a scientific name of Opuntia basilaris. The cactus is the state cactus of Texas. The lifespan of it is over twenty years. Another name that the Beavertail Cactus is referred to is “Prickly Pear.” It is referred by that name because of the fruit that grows on it. Spanish-American culture influenced a nickname for the fruit, “tuna.” The Beavertail Cactus is flat and pancake like with no leafs. It is a dull green color. The cactus can reach up to seven feet...

Words: 1236 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Plants

...Plants, also called green plants, are multicellular eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. They form an unranked clade Viridiplantae(Latin for green plants) that includes the flowering plants, conifers and other gymnosperms, ferns, clubmosses, hornworts, liverworts,mosses and the green algae. Green plants excludes the red and brown algae, the fungi, archaea, bacteria and animals. Green plants have cell walls with cellulose and obtain most of their energy from sunlight via photosynthesis by primary chloroplasts, derived from endosymbiosis with cyanobacteria. Their chloroplasts contain chlorophylls a and b, which gives them their green color. Some plants are parasitic and have lost the ability to produce normal amounts of chlorophyll or to photosynthesize. Plants are also characterized by sexual reproduction, modular[clarification needed] and indeterminate growth, and an alternation of generations, althoughasexual reproduction is also common. Precise numbers are difficult to determine, but as of 2010, there are thought to be 300–315 thousand species of plants, of which the great majority, some 260–290 thousand, are seed plants (see the table below).[1] Green plants provide most of the world's molecular oxygen[2] and are the basis of most of the earth's ecologies, especially on land. Plants that produce grains, fruits and vegetables form mankind's basic foodstuffs, and have been domesticated for millennia. Plants are used as ornaments and, until recently and in great variety, they...

Words: 373 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Plants

...Plants are vital to the survival of all life on Earth--plants transform the light of the sun into energy that is usable to other life on Earth. Without plants, animals would not be able to use the energy of the Sun that reaches the Earth. The removal of one plant from the ecosystem can cause many unforeseen changes, sometimes irreversibly damaging an ecosystem. However, some plants are more important than others, either for biological or cultural reasons. In my country, Korea, I would say that the grass that produces rice has come to be the most important plant, not just because rice is a staple food, but also for other cultural reasons. Virtually every Korean eats rice at least twice a day. I, for example, had rice at breakfast, lunch, and dinner yesterday. For most Koreans, rice is an integral part of a meal, as expected in a meal as ink is to a pen or wheels are to a car--a meal without rice is not a meal. In fact, if I have dinner with my American friends and do not eat rice, I actually feel hungry even if I have filled myself with potatoes or other food while eating with them. Many of my friends have made similar comments to me. So, I believe that rice is as much a part of our daily lives as work or talking on the telephone is. However, rice is much more than just a staple food to most Koreans--it represents the very sustenance of much of our culture. Our history teachers tell us that the development of rice as an agricultural product was largely responsible for the advancement...

Words: 419 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Plants

...into the 20th century, species were divided into two kingdoms: animals and plants. Driven by DNA characterizations and other modern analysis, fungi and bacteria have now been removed to separate kingdoms; in particular, fungi have cell walls that contain chitin rather than cellulose. Lichens, which are a symbiotic association of a fungal and photosynthetic organism, are generally not considered plants in the purest sense of taxonomy, although earlier classification schemes viewed them as plants. Viruses are also not considered to be plants, since they do not have a cell of their own, but inhabit a host cell of another organism; moreover, in many classifications they are not considered a living organism at all. Myxomycetes, or slime molds, are also not considered plants, but rather are heterotrophs that can ingest bacteria, fungal spores, and other items. The scientific study of plants, known as botany, has identified about 350,000 extant taxa of plants, defined as seed plants, bryophytes, ferns and fern allies. As of 2008, approximately 400,000 plant species have been described,[2] of which roughly ninety percent are flowering plants. Vascular plants have lignified tissue and specialized structures termed xylem and phloem, which transport water, minerals, and nutrients upward from the roots and return sugars and other photosynthetic products. Vascular plants include ferns, club mosses, flowering plants, conifers and other gymnosperms. A scientific name for this vascular group...

Words: 1295 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Plants

...Plant Classification Four major groups 1. Nonvascular plants-represents the transition from the aquatic environment of their ancestors-charophytes- to the terrestrial environment about 475 million years ago- some possess water-conducting tubesWater-conducting tubes- prototypes of vascular tissues that fully developed in the next group | | 2. Seedless Vascular plants-evolved about 400 million years ago-they reproduce through spores-structures with vascular tissues eventually diversified and allowed a wider range of sizes for plants wherein the vascular tissues permit transport of water and nutrients across longer distances | | 3. Seeds-provided a natural advantage for colonizing drier lands as they protect plant embryos from harsh environment factorsCone- earliest seed plants bear naked seeds on reproductive structures -they gave rise to the group of cone-bearing plants (gymnosperms) about 200 million years ago | | 4. Flower- Bearing Plants * They emerged about 130 million years agoFlowers- complex reproductive structures that bear seeds within chambers called Ovaries. | | Additional notes: Mosses -the first group of land plants are the mosses and their allies, the liverworts and hornworts. Together, they are called the bryophytes. -they are land plants, but do not have seeds or flowers. -lack vessels, so they are restricted to smaller sizes and more moist environments than other land plants. Gametophyte generation- is the one that produces...

Words: 554 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Plant Evolution

...PLANT EVOLUTION Plant Evolution Colette Andrews Strayer University SCI 115 Dr. David Davies November 24, 2012 Plant Evolution has been around for millions of years. In fact, plants were the first species on earth and the first to live on land (“Plant Evolution”, D. Davies, accessed 11/24/12). For 1500 million year’s photosynthetic organisms remained in the sea. This is because, in the absence of a protective ozone layer, the land was bathed in lethal levels of UV radiation. Once atmospheric oxygen levels were high enough the ozone layer formed, meaning that it was possible for living things to venture onto the land (The University of the West Indies. Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences 2003-2012). The seashore would have been enormously important in the colonization of land. In this zone algae would have been exposed to fresh water running off the land (and would have colonized the freshwater habitat before making the move to terrestrial existence). They would also be exposed to an alternating wet and desiccating environment. Adaptations to survive drying out would have had strong survival value, and it is important to note that seaweeds are poikilohydric and able to withstand periods of desiccation (The University of the West Indies. Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences 2003-2012). The earliest evidence for the appearance of land plants, in the form of fossilized spores, comes from the Ordovician period (510 - 439 million years ago),...

Words: 1547 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Plant Competition

...Plant Competition INTRODUCTION This experiment was used to show the different types of competition between species. Competition was defined as being a “relationship between members of the same or different species in which individuals are adversely affected by those having the same living requirements, such as food or space” (Competition 2010). There are two different types of competition that we will be observing during this experiment. The first type would be intraspecific, which means “competition between same species” (1976). The second type of competition is interspecific, which is defined as “competition between different species” (1976). These two types of competition have helped us look at the different types of interactions between plants species. The lab manual says that intraspecific competition experienced in plants is often very intensely prevalent, and the interspecific competition has the potential to be, mainly because they use most of the same resources (2015). For the experiment conducted for this report, intraspecific and interspecific competition was looked at using numerous set ups of radish and bean plants, and measured through the leaf length and biomass of each particular pot planted. The hypothesis that was fomred was that there would be intraspecific competition occurring between the radishes when planted in low density and high density, as well as intraspecific competition occurring between the beans planted in low density and high density, and...

Words: 1274 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Plant Diversity

...Plant Diversity Paper Plants are extremely diverse multicellular photosynthetic organisms whose evolution can be traced back to one common ancestor. This common ancestor would most likely be some variation of the common day green algae. Even though these green algae are only modicums of modern day plants they still contain the most important characteristic of all, the ability to photosynthesize. Photosynthesis is the ability to take in water, carbon dioxide, and solar energy and convert it into glucose. Any plants that appear green contain a photon absorbing pigment known as chlorophyll, which is essential to absorb light. The first plants, such as algae and kelp, most likely lived in aquatic environments. However plant’s evolutionary history shows that they made the challenging transition from sea to land in favor of less competition for sunlight and higher concentrations of carbon dioxide. At this time all photosynthetic plants lived in marine environments. This resulted in all of these amphibious plants competing for the best environments to collect the optimum amount of sunlight. This in turn caused a struggle for many of these plants to collect their required sunlight for photosynthesis. At the same time aquatic plants were also consuming too much carbon dioxide as a result of living in the same habitats. Carbon dioxide also diffuses easier in air than in water, which made carbon dioxide more readily accessible on land than in water. These two reasons were...

Words: 620 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Plants

...Plants General Characteristics: * Multicellular, primarily terrestrial eukaryotes with well developed tissues * Autotrophic by photosynthesis * Chlorophyl a and b , carotenoids etc. * Store starch in chloroplast * Cell wall – cellulose * Protect the embryo from drying out by providing it with water and nutrients within the female reproductive structure * Alternation of generation’s life cycle ( sporophyte and gametophyte phase) Main Division: 1. Non Vascular * Lack vascular tissues * No true roots, stems and leaves * Rootlike, stemlike, and leaflike structures * Usually small * Found in moist habitat * Example: hornwort, liverwort, mosses 2. Vascular * Seedless * Include the ferns * With vascular tissues * With true roots, stems and leaves * Seed * Gymnosperm (naked seed) and Angiosperm (enclosed seed) * With vascular tissue * With true roots, stems and leaves * Gymnosperms * Cone bearing plants * Conifers * Cycads * Ginkgo * Gnetophytes * Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) A. Dicot (class Magniliopsida) * More primitive than monocots * Embryo has two cotyledon * Floral part’s in 4’s or 5’s or multiples of 4’s or 5’s * Mostly woody, some herbaceous stems * Oval or palmate leaves with netlike venation * Taproot system A. Monocot (class Liliopsida) ...

Words: 1417 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Functions of Plants

...The Organization and function of plants On earth plants are intricate members of our very existence but the also have their organization as well there own functions. Plants are multicellular photosynthetic eukaryotes that increasingly became adapted to live on land . Plant organization and functions vary depending on its characteristics , or what the plant is made of most of which depends on the structure and environment of the plant pertains to. For instance, flowering plants most consist of a root system and shoot system being the leaves and stems. plants also have a few complex important parts stems, leaves, roots they also have a unique tissue system as well a few diferent type of cell types such as Parenchyma See these are typical plant features which have vegetative organs these organs produce growth nutrition , but they do not intervene with the plants reproduction (9.1plants organ and system pg143). Root systems majority of plants are located beneath the surface the functions of the root systems is to absorb water and minerals from the soil it is used to feed off the entire plant. The root system is made up of the branch root, root hairs and the primary root. The two main purposes of roots are to stabilize the plant in the soil, while at the same time absorbing water and nutrients and dispersing them to the rest of the plant. Plants can also act as storage sites for food reserves. Water does not come to roots nearly as much as roots must come...

Words: 607 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Plants Growth

...How to develop plants inside? Examination on testing the rate of development of a plant utilizing distinctive light situations inside. Our theory is whether we utilize a glaring light then the plant development would be higher in quality (tallness and fitness) on the grounds that it supplies better supplemental light and the plant has a superior shot of survival contrasted with the brilliant light. The plant that is developed underneath a bright light has a more risk of survival on the grounds that glowing lights are excessively hot and can blaze the plant if to close. For this trial you would require two lights (little work area lights) and one bright light and one brilliant light. Additionally you would require three plants one to go under the glaring light and one to go under the glowing light and one to put in the sun to perceive how the plant would typically develop. The vital thing that you requirement for each plant is water which gives oxygen. To set this trial up everything you need is clean zone, for example, a table. Put two of the plants on the table and spread them out then set the light right beside them and have the light point towards that plant for the "daylight". Keep light on for 12 hours a day and check once/twice every week. Every plant began at the stature of 3cm and we developed then for 3 weeks. The plant that developed the most out of the three plants was the plant in the sun which grew 10 cm. The plants under the bright lights grew 1cm from the 1st week...

Words: 1841 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Sony Barcenola Plant a

...Barcelona Plant. The SONY Head Quarters would put Barcelona Plant as a pilot, and extend the experiences to the three European Plants even the global market. This paper will analyze the business situation in Europe and the problems in Ideal Factory as well as analyze the benefits and risks on continuing with the European STAR Project or defining an independent strategy. Situation summary STAR launched in mid 1997 in order to standardize the production and procurement processes, and apply information system in three SONY plants in Europe, however, the progress and results of the project was disappointing. Also, the Ideal Factory, which is with the initial arm of improving efficiencies and coordination among three plants in Europe, presented many problems and questioned by staff such as some plant managers. Therefore, Ferran Gil, the Plant General Director, affirmed that Barcelona Plant needed to define a new Plant model due to competitors' fast growth meant shorter production lifecycles and greater pressure in profit margins. There also have some different views on this issues. Some problems of implementing STAR Project 1. Cost. Because the project was centralized in London, the transportation cost would be high when project members had to attend the monthly meeting. Also, due to high consumption in Europe, three plants may be too much for this area. 2. Satisfaction. Each plant has their own situation, thus it is hard to satisfy different needs among three plants. 3. Problems...

Words: 646 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Brassica Plant Cornerstone

...own Brassica plant (i.e., mustard seeds). Rapid-cycling Brassicas are small plants that take up relatively little space and grow and germinate quickly enabling students to observe all stages of the plant life cycle within just 5 weeks. Through their study of the Brassica plant and the informational text A Pumpkin Grows, students will learn about the parts of a plant, where they live, and how they grow and reproduce. Upon completion of the project, a collaborative conversation will provide students opportunities to use vocabulary related to the content throughout the unit. This project will serve...

Words: 613 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Separate Plant Pigments

...Experiment 1 Alternative Assignment (20 points) Paper Chromatography (Separate Plant Pigments) Watch the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTWUS_yb1Bw Please answer these questions (1–2 paragraphs per question): 1. Why are plants green? (10 pts) Some plants are green because they do not absorb or use green light in their photosynthetic processes. Instead the green light gets reflected off the pigments and that is the light that we see with our eyes. The plant absorbs and utilizes all the other colors in the spectrum for its photosynthetic processes. The reason the plant hasn’t evolved to accept green light is probably because there is a greater energy output in the blue and violet wavelengths of light therefore it’s more...

Words: 1126 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Sony Barcelona Plant (a)

...Sony Barcelona Plant (A) This paper is written to analysis the case of “Sony Barcelona Plant (A)”. This case is mainly to discuss how was going on in new strategy plan in Europe plants. In this report, there have some of main topics will be discussed which are including that what factors causes STAR project difficult to complete smoothly, how to define a new strategy, what are Information system problems, what are the different opinions in changing the Information system and why to select Oracle ERP Suite. Then, some recommendations will be provided at the end as well. What factors causes STAR project difficult to complete smoothly? 1. According to different real situation or environment, there were different needs among the different plants which made it difficult to create the synthesis hoped for; 2.Not significant advances had been made and the real implementation of any application was not being planned; 3.The NTT consultants’ lack of experience; 4.A lack of commitment because the entire project team was centralized in one location; 5.Production information system was built base on the theoretical idea. How to define a new strategy? 1.Create more flexibility and economies of scale in the production process and in the procurement of common elements; 2.Reduce production time cycles; 3.Improving materials and resource planning and shortening the “time-to-market” and “time-to-delivery” cycles; 4.Reduce inventory costs and improve material planning; 5.Increase collaboration...

Words: 523 - Pages: 3