ScienceParts of a plant and their functions
Root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit and seed: what each part of a plant does.
A plant looks simple, but each of its parts has a job, just like the members of a team. Most plants have two main systems: the root system below the ground and the shoot system above it. The shoot system has the stem, leaves, flowers and fruits.
Root
Roots grow down into the soil. They do three things. They hold the plant firmly so that wind and rain cannot easily uproot it. They absorb water and minerals from the soil. In some plants they also store food: carrot, radish, beetroot and turnip are roots that we eat. There are two common kinds of roots. A tap root has one thick main root with thinner branches, as in mustard and carrot. Fibrous roots are a bunch of thin roots of about the same size, as in grass, wheat and rice.
Stem
The stem holds the plant upright and carries its branches, leaves and flowers. It works like a set of pipes: it carries water and minerals from the roots up to the leaves, and food from the leaves to the other parts. Some stems store food. Potato and ginger are underground stems. The trunk of a tree is a thick, woody stem.
Leaf
The leaf is the kitchen of the plant. Leaves are green because they contain chlorophyll. Using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide, they make food for the whole plant. This process is called photosynthesis. Leaves have tiny openings called stomata, mostly on the lower side, through which gases pass in and out and extra water escapes as vapour. The flat green part of a leaf is the leaf blade, and the lines on it are veins.
Flower
The flower is the part that helps the plant reproduce. Its bright petals and sweet smell attract bees and butterflies. These insects carry pollen from one flower to another, which is called pollination. After pollination, the flower slowly changes into a fruit.
Fruit and seed
The fruit protects the seeds inside it. When animals and people eat fruits, the seeds get carried to new places. A seed contains a baby plant and food for it. With water, air and warmth, a seed sprouts, or germinates, and a new plant begins.
Key terms
- Tap root
- one main root with side branches
- Fibrous roots
- a cluster of thin roots of similar size
- Chlorophyll
- the green substance in leaves that traps sunlight
- Stomata
- tiny openings on a leaf for gases and water vapour
- Germination
- the sprouting of a seed
Try it yourself
Soak a few moong or chana seeds overnight, wrap them in a wet cloth and keep them in a warm corner. Sprinkle water daily. In two or three days you will see a tiny white root come out first, then the shoot.
Quick questions
Answer in your head or on paper first, then tap to check.
Which part of the plant absorbs water from the soil?
The root.
Why are leaves called the kitchen of the plant?
Because they make food for the plant by photosynthesis.
Name two roots and two stems that we eat.
Roots: carrot, radish. Stems: potato, ginger.
What does a flower change into after pollination?
A fruit, which contains seeds.
This is a simple explanation to help you understand. For examinations, read the same chapter in your prescribed textbook. Last checked: 11 November 2026.