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Plants
All plants, including trees, vines, shrubs and herbs, have cell walls that are partially composed of cellulose.

Aquatic Plants

This folder highlights plant species that live in aquatic environments, using water for physical support and/or to produce food.

  • Aquatic Plants

Desert plants

Short grasses, sagebrush, creosote bushes, and cacti are just a few of the plants that can be found in the desert.

  • Desert plants

Ferns

Ferns do not have flowers, but instead produce spores directly on on their leaves. These plants usually are found in moist environments.

  • Ferns

Grasses

These monocot plants dominate grasslands, but are found in many of the other terrestrial biomes. These regions support a wide variety of mammal, bird, reptile and insect species with shelter and food, and provide grazing for many farm animals.

  • Grasses

Gymnosperms

The related group gymnosperms includes pine trees and other types of conifers, cycads, and ginkgos. See the variety of shapes these plants exhibit.

  • Gymnosperms

Herbs

Herbs do not refer to one single related group of plants, but to a body shape that is low to the ground and not woody.

  • Herbs

Mosses & Worts

Mosses and worts stay small and low to the ground because they do not have a vascular system to carry water within their tissues.

  • Mosses & Worts

Palms

Palms are shrubs, vines, or trees in a single plant family, although a few other plants (e.g., cycads) are sometimes called palms. True palms are known for their single stem and fan-shaped leaves.

Plant Structures

Individual images of blossoms, fruits, stems, seeds, leaves, roots, and more, illustrate the different forms and functions of plant tissues.

Shrubs

Maintaining a low height compared to trees, shrubs or bushes usually have multiple woody stems. Some can be engineered to grow into trees and their versatility makes them a staple plant for landscaping and ideal for nesting birds.

Succulents

Within multiple plant families are species that have adapted for a hot, dry lifestyle by saving water within their tissues. The best known group are the cacti.

Trees

Trees encompass a diverse range of woody plants that grow a tall, single stem before branching out and leafing.

Unidentified Plants

Images where the photographer was not sure of the plant’s identification. If you are an expert and recognize this plant, please contact us at images@nbii.gov.

Vines

Vines are plants with flexible stems that can grow up other plants, on structures, or outwards across the ground, helping ensure better exposure to light and access to new areas for colonization.