Plants, MAC-MUS
Life on Earth owes much to plants. The vast majority of plants carry out photosynthesis to transform light energy into chemical energy, which is the way that virtually all energy in the biosphere becomes available to living things (including us humans). Plants occupy the base of Earth's food webs and are consumed directly or indirectly by all higher life-forms, thereby functioning as the major source of food for humans and other animals. Plants' photosynthetic activity also produces the air that we breathe: almost all the oxygen in the atmosphere is due to the process of photosynthesis. Still not convinced about the merits of plants? Consider the fact that many plants not only serve up crucial nutrients and breathable air but also look good doing it. Many plants are admired for their striking aesthetic qualities, and flowers such as tulips, lilies, sunflowers, and daisies beautify fields, gardens, windowsills, and bouquets the world over. Plants are also a primary source of consumer goods, such as building materials, textile fibers, and pharmaceuticals.
Plants Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Macrozamia, genus of about 40 species of palmlike cycads in the family Zamiaceae, native to Australia and grown......
madder, (genus Rubia), genus of about 80 species of perennial plants in the madder family (Rubiaceae), several......
magnolia, (genus Magnolia), genus of about 225 species of trees and shrubs of the family Magnoliaceae native to......
Magnoliaceae, magnolia family of the order Magnoliales that contains at least two genera and nearly 250 species,......
Magnoliales, the magnolia order of flowering plants, consisting of 6 families, 154 genera, and about 3,000 species.......
magnoliid clade, taxonomic group of woody or herbaceous flowering plants. The magnoliid clade is a phylogenetic......
maguey, any of several plants in the Agave genus (family Asparagaceae), especially A. americana, and the fibre......
mallee, scrubland plant community found in southern Australia, composed primarily of woody shrubs and small trees......
mallow, any of several flowering plants in the hibiscus, or mallow, family (Malvaceae), especially those of the......
Malpighiales, large order of flowering plants that includes 40 families, more than 700 genera, and almost 16,000......
Malvaceae, the hibiscus, or mallow, family (order Malvales) containing some 243 genera and at least 4,225 species......
Malvales, medium-sized order, known as the Hibiscus or mallow order, mostly of woody plants, consisting of 10 families,......
mamey apple, (Mammea americana), large tree and its edible fruit (family Calophyllaceae), native to the West Indies......
Mammillaria, large genus of some 200 species of low-growing cacti (family Cactaceae) native to the Western Hemisphere......
man orchid, either of two related species of orchids (family Orchidaceae), named for the humanlike shape of their......
manchineel, (Hippomane mancinella), tree of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) famous for its poisonous properties.......
mandacaru, (Cereus jamacaru), species of treelike cactus (family Cactaceae) native to arid and semiarid regions......
mandrake, (genus Mandragora), genus of six species of hallucinogenic plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae)......
mango, (Mangifera indica), member of the cashew family (Anacardiaceae) and one of the most important and widely......
mangosteen, (Garcinia mangostana), handsome tropical tree (family Clusiaceae) native to Southeast Asia and cultivated......
mangrove, any of certain shrubs and trees that belong primarily to the families Rhizophoraceae, Acanthaceae, Lythraceae,......
manzanita, any of about 50 species of evergreen shrubs and trees of the genus Arctostaphylos, of the heath family......
maple, (Acer), any of a large genus (about 200 species) of shrubs or trees in the family Sapindaceae, widely distributed......
Marantaceae, the prayer plant or arrowroot family (order Zingiberales), composed of about 31 genera and about 550......
Marattiaceae, the giant fern family (order Marattiales), comprising six genera and some 150 modern species found......
Marchantia, genus of liverworts (creeping ribbonlike plants) in the order Marchantiales, commonly found on moist......
mare’s-tail, the aquatic plant Hippuris vulgaris or either of two other species of its genus, in the plantain family......
marguerite, (Argyranthemum frutescens), ornamental plant of the aster family (Asteraceae), grown for its daisylike......
marigold, (genus Tagetes), genus of about 50 species of annual herbs of the aster family (Asteraceae), native to......
mariposa lily, (genus Calochortus), genus of about 40 species of tuliplike perennial plants of the lily family......
marjoram, (Origanum majorana), perennial plant of the mint family (Lamiaceae), grown as a culinary herb. Its fresh......
marsh mallow, (Althaea officinalis), perennial herbaceous plant of the hibiscus, or mallow, family (Malvaceae),......
marsh marigold, (Caltha palustris), perennial herbaceous plant of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) native to......
Marsileaceae, only family of the fern order Marsileales, comprising three genera and about 70 species of small......
Karl Friedrich Philipp von Martius was a German botanist best known for his work on Brazilian flora. Martius studied......
Francisco de Paula Marín was a horticultural experimenter who introduced numerous plant species to the Hawaiian......
Masdevallia, genus of more than 500 species of tropical American orchids (family Orchidaceae). Some species are......
Matoniaceae, family of ferns dating from the Mesozoic Era (roughly 251 million to 65.5 million years ago) and distinguished......
Mauritius hemp, (Furcraea foetida), plant of the asparagus family (Asparagaceae) and its fibre, belonging to the......
Maxillaria, large genus of tropical American orchids (family Orchidaceae). The genus traditionally has included......
mayapple, (Podophyllum peltatum), perennial herbaceous plant of the family Berberidaceae (order Ranunculales) native......
mayflower, either of two spring-blooming wildflowers native to eastern North America or one of several plants that......
meadow rue, (genus Thalictrum), genus of approximately 330 species of perennial herbaceous plants in the buttercup......
Meconopsis, genus of about 45 species of herbaceous plants of the poppy family (Papaveraceae), mostly native to......
Mediterranean vegetation, biome of any dense scrubland composed of broad-leaved evergreen shrubs, bushes, and small......
medlar, (genus Mespilus), either of two species of the genus Mespilus of the rose family (Rosaceae). The common......
Meliaceae, the mahogany family of flowering plants (order Sapindales), comprising 51 genera and about 575 species......
melon, (Cucumis melo), trailing vine in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), grown for its often musky-scented edible......
melon cactus, (genus Melocactus), any of about 30 species of cacti (family Cactaceae) native to the West Indies,......
Gregor Mendel was a botanist, teacher, and Augustinian prelate, the first person to lay the mathematical foundation......
Menyanthaceae, flowering plant family of the order Asterales, consisting of five genera and about 40 species of......
mercury, (genus Mercurialis), genus of eight species of flowering plants of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae).......
Mertensia, genus of about 50 temperate North American and Eurasian species of plants in the family Boraginaceae,......
mesquite, (genus Prosopis), genus of spiny deep-rooted shrubs or small trees in the pea family (Fabaceae). They......
Metaxyaceae, small family of ferns in the division Pteridophyta (the lower vascular plants). The single genus,......
Ynes Enriquetta Julietta Mexia was an American botanical collector and explorer whose discoveries helped to clarify......
Mexican jumping bean, the seed of certain Mexican shrubs, especially those of the genus Sebastiania, of the spurge......
Mexican tulip poppy, (Hunnemannia fumariifolia), perennial plant of the poppy family (Papaveraceae) native to southwestern......
André Michaux was a French botanist who spent 12 years studying the plants of North America. From 1779 to 1781......
Microcycas, genus consisting of a single species of palmlike cycad in the family Zamiaceae, native to Cuba. The......
mignonette, (genus Reseda), genus of about 40 species of fragrant-flowered herbs and shrubs in the family Resedaceae.......
milkweed, (genus Asclepias), genus of about 140 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants belonging to the......
millet, any of several species of cereal grasses in the family Poaceae, cultivated for their small edible seeds.......
mimosa, (genus Mimosa), large genus of plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), native to tropical and subtropical......
mint, (genus Mentha), genus of 25 species of fragrant herbs of the mint family (Lamiaceae). Native to Eurasia,......
miracle fruit, (Synsepalum dulcificum), evergreen shrub of the family Sapotaceae, grown for its mild fruits that......
Charles-François Brisseau de Mirbel was a French botanist whose book Traité d’anatomie et de physiologie végétale,......
mistletoe, any of many species of parasitic plants of the families Loranthaceae, Misodendraceae, and Santalaceae,......
mock privet, any shrub or small tree of the genus Phillyrea in the olive family, Oleaceae. The four species of......
Monarda, genus of 12 North American plants variously known as bergamot, horsemint, and bee balm, belonging to the......
monkey flower, any of about 150 species of herbaceous or, rarely, shrubby plants of the lopseed family (Phrymaceae),......
monkey pot, any shrub or tree of the genus Lecythis, of the family Lecythidaceae, particularly L. ollaria of Brazil......
monkey puzzle tree, (Araucaria araucana), an evergreen ornamental and timber conifer of the family Araucariaceae,......
monkshood, (genus Aconitum), genus of more than 200 species of showy perennial herbs of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae).......
monocotyledon, one of the two great groups of flowering plants, or angiosperms, the other being the eudicotyledons......
monstera, (genus Monstera), genus of nearly 50 species of flowering plants of the arum family (Araceae), native......
Monterey pine, (Pinus radiata), economically important conifer species (family Pinaceae), the most widely planted......
Moon tree, colloquial name for any of several trees grown from seeds that were flown around the Moon during the......
moonlight cactus, (genus Selenicereus), genus of about 20 species of cacti (family Cactaceae), native to tropical......
moonseed, any of three species of woody vines constituting the genus Menispermum of the family Menispermaceae (order......
Moraceae, the mulberry family of the rose order (Rosales), with about 40 genera and some 1,000 species of deciduous......
Moreton Bay pine, (Araucaria cunninghamii), large evergreen timber conifer of the family Araucariaceae. The Moreton......
moringa, (Moringa oleifera), small deciduous tree (family Moringaceae) native to tropical Asia but also naturalized......
Robert Morison was a Scottish botanist whose work, along with that of his contemporary John Ray, served to elucidate......
morning glory, any of several herbaceous twining vines or shrubs in the genus Ipomoea (family Convolvulaceae).......
mosquito fern, (genus Azolla), genus of six or seven species of aquatic ferns of the family Salviniaceae. Members......
moss, (division Bryophyta), any of at least 12,000 species of small nonvascular spore-bearing land plants. Mosses......
moth orchid, (genus Phalaenopsis), genus of about 60 species of orchids (family Orchidaceae), native to southeastern......
mountain ash, (genus Sorbus), genus of several shrubs or trees in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to the Northern......
mountain laurel, (Kalmia latifolia), Flowering evergreen shrub of the heath family, occurring in most mountainous......
mountain mahogany, (genus Cercocarpus), genus of five or six species of North American shrubs or small trees in......
mousetail, any of about 15 species of small, annual, herbaceous (nonwoody) plants constituting the genus Myosurus......
mud plantain, any aquatic annual or perennial plant of the genus Heteranthera of the pickerelweed family (Pontederiaceae),......
Sir Ferdinand von Mueller was a German-born Australian botanist and explorer who was known for his studies of the......
muhly, (genus Muhlenbergia), genus of about 150 species of range grasses in the family Poaceae, native to North......
mulberry, (genus Morus), genus of about 10 species of small to medium-sized trees in the family Moraceae and their......
mullein, any of the 360 species of the genus Verbascum (family Scrophulariaceae), large biennial or perennial herbs......
mung bean, (Vigna radiata), legume plant of the pea family (Fabaceae), grown for its edible seeds and young sprouts.......
Musaceae, the banana family of plants (order Zingiberales), consisting of 2 genera, Musa and Ensete, with about......
musk cucumber, (Sicana odorifera), perennial vine of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), native to the New World......