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Leafy: what are they, characteristics and examples

When we speak of forests or forest masses, it is common to mention two large groups: coniferous forests and hardwood forests . Coniferous forests are quite characteristic and are formed, above all, by trees such as pines, firs, cedars and other trees of the coniferous family. However, not everyone knows what leafy plants are, or at least not by this name.

If you want to learn more about hardwood plants, don’t miss this AgroCorrn article about what hardwoods are, their characteristics and examples and photos of some of the most representative ones.

Index
  1. What are hardwoods – meaning
  2. Leafy: characteristics
  3. Hardwoods
  4. Leafy: examples of plants and trees

What are hardwoods – meaning

Hardwoods are nothing more than the common name often given to angiosperm plants . These are the so-called flowering plants , which produce seeds protected by a fruit, unlike gymnosperm plants , which produce bare seeds.

It is a very broad taxon, which includes species that do not exactly share the characteristics of what we popularly understand by flowers. Currently, there are more than 250,000 species of leafy plants , representing almost 90% of the terrestrial plants on the planet. They are the most evolved plants and, therefore, also the most diverse.

Learn much more about leafy plants in this other article about Angiosperm Plants: what they are, characteristics and examples .

Leafy: characteristics

There are some of the main characteristics of hardwoods are as follows:

  • They have fruits, which protect and facilitate the dispersal of the seeds . Learn more about the Seed Parts and their functions here.
  • They also produce flowers, which attract pollinating insects.
  • They have a differentiated root, stem and leaves.
  • There are deciduous and evergreen deciduous trees.

Talking about each and every one of the characteristics of hardwoods or angiosperms is very difficult, since it means talking about the vast majority of terrestrial plant life. Their shapes and sizes are as varied as the differences between, for example, a daisy and an oak are wide. We can speak, however, of what most characterizes them all: their flowers and fruits.

  • Flowers: All leafy plants have flowers, which contain the reproductive organs of the plant, and usually the same plant will have both male and female organs. The flowers have a showy corolla, formed by brightly colored petals, whose function is to attract pollinating insects . These will approach the center of the flower to feed on the nectar in it. In doing so, the stamens cover the insect with pollen, which will remain on the pistils of other plants, leading to fertilization of the ovule. Although the different species of bees are the main pollinating agent in nature, there are many other insects that collaborate in this, and even the wind itself can help.
  • The fruits: an ovule that has been fertilized will become a seed and the ovary will grow developing the fruit around it. This fruit fulfills several functions, from the physical protection of the seeds, to the propagation of these when the fruit is consumed by different animals, which will drop them when feeding or will expel them undigested far from where the mother plant was located and thus allowing a wide spread.

Hardwoods

The forestry hardwood is currently a widespread practice, since hardwoods , always from dicotyledonous species are highly valued in the market. Among them, the use of eucalyptus, poplar, beech, chestnut, oak, walnut, iroko and teak woods stands out . The latter is one of the most used for its excellent resistance, which makes it very valuable in exterior carpentry and to form structures. Oak is used to make a large number of floors, as well as a large number of decorations and furniture. Beech wood, on the other hand, is better known for its use in the manufacture of musical instruments, and eucalyptus wood is used to make large quantities of paper pulp, among many other things.

Learn more about hardwoods and others with this other post about Types of wood, their characteristics and classification .

Leafy: examples of plants and trees

It is impossible to cover all representative angiosperm plants, but these are some examples of very light leafy plants , and in fact we can see some of them in hardwood forests .

Oak

The common oak, with the scientific name Quercus robur , is one of the most representative trees of the hardwood forests . It has its origin in Asia and it is a large tree that can reach more than 40 meters in height.

It has a very thick trunk and its longevity can exceed 200 years. Its leaves, of the deciduous type, are of a very characteristic shape and its flowers, small and showy, give rise to acorns, a fruit widely used to feed some farm animals and, in the case of wild ones, it is very common. see, for example, wild boars eating them.

Margarita

The scientific name of the common daisy is Bellis perennis , although it receives many other names such as chiribita or pascueta. It is a herbaceous plant that can exceed one meter in height, although it is common to find it in much smaller sizes.

Its flowers, with a golden center and usually white petals, are one of the most common and well-known throughout the world and, in fact, are highly valued for their aesthetics.

Wheat

The so-called wheat is a whole genus of cereals that receives the scientific name of Triticum. It is one of the most important plant species for humans, because together with corn and rice it forms the three most produced and consumed grains in the world.

It is a leafy and grassy plant about a meter high, with a stem that grows upwards and that gives rise to the spike with the grains at the top. With the wheat grain flour is made, the basis of innumerable products and recipes. Its germ is also widely consumed and if you want to discover more about it, here you can learn about the Properties of wheat germ, benefits and contraindications .

If you want to read more articles similar to Frondosas: what they are, characteristics and examples , we recommend that you enter our Biology category .

Maria Anderson
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Hello, I am a blogger specialized in environmental, health and scientific dissemination issues in general. The best way to define myself as a blogger is by reading my texts, so I encourage you to do so. Above all, if you are interested in staying up to date and reflecting on these issues, both on a practical and informative level.

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