Basics of Plants Identification- part-1 (Life forms)
Channel: Biology By Neha Binwal
Date: 2021-03-20

Basics of Plants Identification- part1 contains all about different life-forms of plants.
Habit: the form of whole plant, e.g. tree, herb, liana, shrub etc.
1-Herbs: plants which generally do not develop a woody stem.
2-Shrubs: the woody plants with a few to several branches arising from or just above ground level.
3-Trees: the plants usually having a single main stem, with the trunk arising from the ground and growing for some height before it branches. Trees are always woody and perennial.
4-Climbers (the woody climbers are known as lianas):  the plants which cannot support themselves in an upright position and grow over other plants and non-living structures. Most climbers contain organs which help the plant catching and holding onto its support. These includes spines and prickles, tendrils etc.
5- Epiphytes: a plant that grows upon other plants, but does not absorb food from them as in case of parasites. Example- Vanda (orchids).
6-Parasites: Plants that grows upon other living plants or animals and obtain its food material from them. On the basis of their complete or incomplete dependence, the parasites may either be called total parasite or partial parasite. Example: Cuscuta (Amar bail)
7-Saprophytes: A plant that grows in places rich in decaying organic substances and derives its food from them. Example: Fungi
8-Symbiont: Two organisms living together in such a way that they appear to be parts of the same plants, and is mutually beneficial to each other. Example: Lichens