At first glance, plants consist of roots, stems, leaves and sometimes flowers. While these visible structures play a role in the plant's survival, within those roots, stems, leaves and flowers, you will find internal structures that also allow plants to carry out such basic functions as water transport and seed production.

Plants have two organ systems: the root system and the shoot system (figure \(\PageIndex{a}\)). The root system is typically belowground and consists of roots, which specialized in water and nutrient absorption.

Plant anatomy or phytotomy is the general term for the study of the internal structure of plants. Originally, it included plant morphology, the description of the physical form and external structure of plants, but since the mid-20th century, plant anatomy has been considered a separate field referring only to internal plant structure.

Broadly, plants have two organ systems: A) the root system and B) the shoot system. A typical diagram of a plant body consists of three parts: 1) roots, 2) stems, and 3) leaves, each having specialized functions. Apart from these basic parts, a flowering plant also contains 4) flowers and 5) fruits.

Identify basic common structures of plants. While individual plant species are unique, all share a common structure: a plant body consisting of stems, roots, and leaves. They all transport water, minerals, and sugars produced through photosynthesis through the plant body in a similar manner.