Kids Research Express

Pictures of Angiosperms Trumpet Creeper The trumpet creeper, characterized by small clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers, is a woody-stemmed root climber that prefers sunny, fertile, moist, well-drained soils. It reaches 7 to 12 m (22 to 40 ft) in size. Trumpet Vine Characterized by small clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in the summer, the climbing vine known as the trumpet vine or trumpet creeper is often grown for its ornamental value. The trumpet vine prefers sunny weather and fertile, moist, well-drained soils. The vine spreads rapidly and reaches 7 to 12 m (22 to 40 ft) in size under proper conditions. On wooden buildings, the unchecked vine can cause damage by loosening shingles. Varieties of Tea The three kinds of beverage tea, Camellia sinensis, differ in the way they are processed. The leaves of black tea, made by every tea-growing nation, are partially dried and their juices squeezed from them before they are fermented and dried. The leaves that make green tea are...

Pictures of Angiosperms Swamp Lily The swamp lily, a member of the amaryllis family, is cultivated for its attractive flowers. Sweet Alyssum The sweet alyssum is an attractive perennial commonly cultivated in rock gardens. The plant grows 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in) tall and produces small, white, fragrant flowers that bloom through the spring and summer. Sweet Pea The sweet pea belongs to an order of plants known as legumes. The legumes are an economically important group of plants that have root nodules containing a bacterium that helps return nitrogen to the soil. Because of this characteristic, legumes such as the sweet pea are used to enrich nitrogen-poor soils. Other legumes include beans, peanuts, soybeans, and alfalfa. Tall Buttercup Although buttercups such as Ranunculus acris, pictured here, abound in pastures, grazing cows avoid them; ingesting the shiny, double blossom irritates the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. However, dried buttercups are harmless inclusions in h...

Saguaro Cactus The saguaro cactus, common in Arizona’s desert areas, branches only after it has reached a height of about 5 m (about 15 ft). The saguaro grows very slowly, approximately 2.5 cm (approximately 1 in) per year, and can reach heights of up to about 15 m (about 50 ft). Featured on a United States postage stamp in 1962, the plant’s waxy white blossom is Arizona’s state flower. Sausage Tree The sausage tree, native to Africa, is named for its unusual sausagelike fruits. The woody capsules can be up to 60 cm (24 in) long, 10 cm (4 in) wide, and weigh up to 5 kg (12 lb). The fruit takes a year to ripen and is inedible, but is often used in folk remedies for skin conditions. Scarlet Runner Bean Beans, like this scarlet runner bean, are cultivated throughout the world. Symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria, present in small nodules on the roots of beans and other legumes, help to return nitrogen to the soil, where the plant can then utilize it directly. In exchange,...

Pictures of Angiosperms Pineapple Plant Although originally discovered and domesticated in South America, the pineapple is now cultivated in many tropical regions throughout the world. The pineapple plant is a member of a group of plants called bromeliads, or air plants. Their modified leaves and stems catch and store water, which the plant can then use as a resource. Some animals such as tree frogs can use this stored water as a place in which to lay their eggs and rear their young. Pink and White Lady’s Slipper Yellowish-green or pink flowers of the genus Cypripedium bear the sac-like lip that gives the Lady’s slipper, a type of orchid, its name. Pitcher Plant Pitcher plants, found throughout the tropical and temperate regions of the world, are insectivorous plants, using specially modified leaves to capture and consume insects. Pitcher plants usually grow in poor soils and rely on the captured insects for added nutrition. Potato Plant Native to the Andes of Peru, the potato plant is...

Mimosa Feathery, fernlike leaves of the evergreen shrub Mimosa pudica curl inward when touched. Tiny, deep-pink flowers appear in the summer. Mock Orange The common mock orange, also called syringa, is a deciduous shrub covered with clusters of small, fragrant, cream-colored flowers. Syringa is the state flower of Idaho. Musk Thistle The musk thistle has decorative composite flowers but its spiny leaves and branches create a weedlike appearance. This species of thistle bears purple flowers and is common in fields in the northeastern United States. Nail Polish Flowers The nail polish plant, so-named because of the bright color of its flowers, belongs to the four-o’clock family. It grows best in sunny locations in fertile, well-drained soils. Nightshade All parts of the belladonna, or nightshade, Atropa belladonna, are poisonous. The drug atropine, used to dilate the pupils of the eyes, is one of several narcotics extracted from its leaves and root...