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Information Databases:
Plants
and
Ecosystems
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What are Plants?
Plants are a diverse population of about 260,000 known species of mosses, liverworts, ferns, herbaceous plants, woody plants, bushes, vines, trees, and various other forms including those found in fresh water and in the oceans. Plants range in size from tiny, nonvascular mosses, to the giant sequoia trees, which draw water and nutrients up through their vascular systems to elevations of more than 100 m (330 ft).
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The Earth's biomass is composed mostly of plants. Plants are the foundation for most ecosystem food chains and without them, not only would many of Earth's inhabitants perish, but the Earth itself would suffer. Plants modify  and stabilize climates, create and hold down soil, and most importantly, produce life giving oxygen through photosynthesis. Throughout their long history plants have supplied sufficient oxygen to Earth's atmosphere to support the evolution of higher animals.
A small percentage of plants are used by humans for food, shelter, fiber, and drugs. These include grains (rice, wheat, corn), legumes (peas and beans), cotton and conifers. Some nations and their entire economy depends on the welfare of agriculture. Although not often thought of, over 1 billion years of plantlife is the reason for the supply of fossil fuel we use today for automobiles, industry and homes. We may take that ficus growing in our living room for granted, remember, it and others like it are the reason life on Earth flourishes, don't forget to water it.
 Biggest Flower
Rafflesia arnoldii The largest flower of any plant in the world is found on the mottled orange-brown and white parasitic plant Rafflesia arnoldii. Each bloom is 35.8 in wide and can weigh up to 24.3 lbs with petals up to 0.75 in think.
 Biggest Weed
Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
Originally from the Caucasus, the giant hogweed can reach a height of 12 ft and has 35.5 inch long leaves.
 Biggest Fungus
Armillaria ostoyae A single living colonal growth of the underground fungus Armillaria ostoyae covers an area of approximately 1,500 acres in the forests of Washington State, USA. This fungus is believed to be between 500 and 1,000 years old.
Tallest Cactus
Saguaro (Cereus giganiteus or Carnegiea gigantea)
is the world's tallest cactus. The tallest specimen on record was found in the Maricopa Mountains, Arizona, USA in 1988 and had branches that rose to a record height of 58 ft.
Oldest Trees
Bristlecone pines are found in California, Nevada, and Utah. Some of these trees in eastern California's White Mountains are more than 4,500 years old. The oldest known living Great Basin bristlecone pine is a tree named Methuselah, and is more than 4,700 years old.
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AIR
WATER
EARTH
PLANTS
TREES
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