These slides contain description about all plants types

2. Definition of plants :
Plants are one of the two groups into which all living things were traditionally divided; the
other is animals. , distinguished between plants, which generally do not move, and animals,
which often are mobile to catch their food
Plants are organisms , and there is so many kinds of plants such as :
Trees
~ Shrubs
~ Herbs
~ Vines
~ Grasses
~ Unusual Plants (Aquatic Plants, Carnivorous, Plants, Epiphytes, Desert Plants)

4. Need for Trees
From an environmental stand point, trees are the lungs of
the Earth. Without trees, we'd all be dead. All
photosynthetic plants produce oxygen, trees even more so.
Apart from those in cultivation, trees in the wild contribute
greatly to removing carbon dioxide from the air and
supplying us with the vital gas, oxygen. All life depends on
plants, more so on trees (especially wildlife).

5. Planting a Tree
Many people like to plant trees in their
garden. If you are thinking of planting a
tree too, I suggest you start with a fruit-
tree, like an orange, peach or nectarine
tree. Most of these even double up as
flower trees and look exceptionally
beautiful when in full blossom.

6. Shrubs
Unlike a tree, a shrub is much shorter (never more than 8 m
tall) and lacks a primary stem or trunk. Shrubs are usually
quite messy, with many secondary branches. Shrubs are
intermediate between herbs and trees, and can be cultured
to develop into herbs or trees, depending on the cultivation
conditions. Hardened shrubs may evolve into tree-like
plants. However, they can still be identified as shrubs. Shrubs
may be evergreen or may shed their leaves at maturity
(deciduous).

7. Botany distinguishes between a shrub and a
tree based on the presence or absence of a
primary trunk or stem. Hibiscus, honeysuckle
are the common examples of shrubs.
Shrubs require quite a bit of maintenance,
especially deciduous shrubs. A lot of pruning
and cutting is required, or a shrub can quickly
overgrow and look rather unkempt. However
a neatly trimmed and maintained shrub in fact
looks pretty, especially if it's in bloom.

8. Herbs
Herbs are non-woody flowering plants. Commonly, a herb is
a plant that is usually cultivated for economical gains by
means of selling its parts (particularly flowers, leaves, seeds,
and sometimes stem). Herbs are quite small in size (usually
not more than several feet off the ground). Herbs have been
largely cultivated by humans for their culinary, medicinal
and / or cosmetic value and importance. Herbs can be
commonly cultivated in small pots, as well as in the ground.
Many people prefer growing herbs for the use in different
human aspects, and also because they do not require much
space.

9. Worshipped Herbs
Probably due to their multitude
uses, herbs were held sacred
in olden times and were also
worshiped. The holy basil is still
worshiped and revered in India,
while the Rastafarians hold
cannabis holy. Herbs also have
a special place in Ayurveda.

10. Culinary Herbs
Herbs are a favorite among gardeners.
Culinary herbs make good garden
plants, especially for someone fond of
cooking. Herbs like oregano, thyme,
parsley, coriander (or cilantro) are easy
to grow as well. You can start with
them.

11. Vines
Vines, or creepers, are those plants that need a
solid support for their growth. They are
adapted to a crawling kind of growth habit.
They lack a strong, stiff stem that will bear the
weight of the plant. Majority of the creepers
show adaptations that enable them to gain
support by anchoring to a solid surface.
For example, many vines grow tendrils; these
are curled structures that twirl around and
firmly hold on to a solid vertical support and
help the plant to grow. Some vines develop
thorns on their ventral side; these cling onto
rocks or walls and other similar textured or
uneven surfaces.

12. Did you know that some
plants can grow as creepers as
well as shrubs? One such
example is of a rose. A rose
plant, grows as a vine in the
wild. However, the cultivators
of roses usually are small
plants, intermediate between
herbs and shrubs.

13. Morning Glory
Morning Glory is a beautiful
flowering vine that you can
choose to grow. Passion fruit is
another vine that doubles up as
a flower and fruit vine. You can
begin gardening vines with
these plants

14. Grasses
Grasses are in a sense herbaceous plants;
however, they cannot be classified as herbs.
The main difference between herbs and grasses
is that herbs have some kind of stem (though it
is not stiff, sturdy or woody); however grasses
completely lack stems. They might have a
rhizome or bulb-like structure, but a true stem
is absent.
Grasses have adapted to almost all kinds of
habitats - from marshes to deserts. They are
also widespread, in that they are found in
almost every part of the world. Grasses can be
very short (as in case of turfs) or very tall (as in
case of food crops). Grasses are hence very
versatile forms of vegetation.

15. Just as all life form depends heavily on trees, so
does it on grasses. This is because grasses come
at the base of the food pyramid. Grasses form
primary food of many herbivores, including
insects, rodents, deer, kangaroos, rabbits,
cattle, sheep, horses, etc. We depend on most
(if not all) these animals for something or the
other. Grasses are hence very important.
It will be a good idea to make a lawn in your
garden, for those evenings when you just want
to sleep beneath the clear blue sky. Some
grasses bear pretty flowers too. If it's a tall
flowering grass, you can use it to line your
garden.

16. Unusual Plants
Desert Plants
These plants are adapted to the arid and
hostile environment of a desert. These
plants have the capability to store water.
They also have the ability to use water
efficiently. They usually have few or no
leaves, which greatly reduces
transpiration. Plant species like cacti and
succulents, have dense flesh which is
capable of storing large amounts of
water. Several plants have developed the
typical spikes and spines to prevent
them from being eaten by animals.

17. Epiphytes
They depend on other plants for support
growing on trunks and branches. They
are also dubbed 'air plants'. Mosses and
orchids are instances of epiphytic plants.
Though they are not parasitic, they can
be deleterious to their hosts. They have
an advantage over plants growing on the
ground as they have a relatively better
access to sunlight. They obtain nutrients
from the air or water around them. They
use photosynthesis for the process of
nutrition.

18. Carnivorous Plants
Carnivorous plants normally grow in
marshlands, bogs and areas of
waterlogged, acidic and nitrogen poor
soil (as in case of Pitcher plant);
however, they may be found on
grasslands as well (as in case of Purple
Pitcher plant). carnivorous plants get
their nitrogen intake by eating insects.
The insect traps of a carnivorous plants
use different attractants to invite prey.
Other examples of carnivorous plants
include Venus Flytrap, Utricularia, etc.

19. Aquatic Plants
These plants grow in presence of abundant water.
Aquatic plants have a lot of adaptations that enable
the to survive the persistent wet conditions that
they grow in. For example, the stems are unusually
supple and bend easily with the flow of water, or
the water current. The leaves have a thick waxy
coating to prevent water from collecting. The plant
is also quite buoyant (especially floating plants).
Example of aquatic plants are hydra, water
hyacinth, water lily, etc.
So that was a brief account of the different kinds of
plants that exist in the world. It is said, however,
that we have a record of only 1 in every 4 flowering
plants; and flowering plants are not the only kind of
plants that exist, as we just saw. So just imagine
how many more plants there are out there that we
have no clue about. Fascinating, isn't it?