Botany on Pitara Kids Network

Is Potato a Fruit or Vegetable?

Thu, 02 May 2002 06:52:02 +0000

Pick up a potato and you notice eyes with little lashes on it. In fact, the lashes look like tiny roots. Have you ever wondered why the potato has roots on it?

The potato is actually a stem. A stem in disguise, that grows under the ground!

Many plants are masters at adapting themselves to their surroundings. They can change their structure to suit their needs.

Farmer holding harvested dirty potatoes in his hands.

Just as we keep large vessels handy in the scorching summer to store water, plants deal with the problem in a smarter way. Their body parts have changed over a period of time so as to adjust to their surroundings. Thus, the potato plant has changed the shape and size of its stem to store food and water. And this storage is done under the ground where it is relatively cooler.

Is Tomato a Vegetable or a Fruit?

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 17:55:56 +0000

We think the tomato is a vegetable, but it is actually a fruit. Because it is not sweet and is used for providing flavour to food, we think of it as a vegetable.

The tomato is originally from Mexico. The word “tomato” comes from the Spanish tomate, which in turn comes from the Nahuatl word tomatotl. Spanish explorers who went to South America about 500 years ago, brought back the tomato to Europe. The French called them love apples, while the British called them apples of gold. Young men made necklaces of tomato seeds and presented them to their loved ones.

Do Bananas Grow on Trees?

Sun, 01 Jul 2001 18:01:47 +0000

You think bananas grow on trees? Wrong. They don’t, because the banana tree is actually a plant. It is probably the largest plant in the world.

To know more, look at the banana trunk. Is it wood? No. There are layers of skin placed in circles. These layers are actually the lower ends of banana leaves. In other words, the banana tree is a clump of leaves!

A banana plant

At the top of the plant is a chunk of leaves looking like a palm tree. The flower bud grows in the stalk, which is right in the middle of these leaves. From this flower bud grows the bunch of banana fruits, all of which point skywards. There is only one bunch at a time. But, it can be quite heavy. Sometimes, it could weigh up to 45 kilograms!

Sciene Quiz about Flowers

Thu, 04 Jul 2002 07:57:34 +0000

When you want to convey your feelings, you say it with flowers. Do you know that humans have attached different meanings and values to flowers? [A sciene quiz for children about flowers]

Is Bamboo a Grass!

Fri, 24 Aug 2001 08:38:34 +0000

If you look at a blade of grass and a bamboo tree they remind you of a mouse and an elephant. But unlike those animals, the grass and the bamboo belong to the same family. They are brothers! The bamboo is the largest member of the grass family.

It grows in Asia, South America and Africa. It has about 500 different varieties. They all have smooth, hollow jointed stems with a strong watertight partition at each joint. While most flower every year, there are some that flower only three or four times in a 100 years.

Why are Some Plants Non-vegetarian?

Sat, 01 Jun 1996 09:32:17 +0000

Are you scared of going to the forest because you think there are man-eating tigers in the forest? What would you do if there were man-eating plants too?

Don’t worry. Man-eating plants do not exist. But insect and animal-eating plants do. They are what you would call non-vegetarian plants.

In fact, there are 500 varieties of plant species that trap prey and eat it. The most famous among these carnivorous plants are sundews, pitcher plants, bladderworts and the Venus flytrap.

The Green Land

Fri, 08 Jun 2001 15:50:44 +0000

Their green gives a shade of happiness to our planet. Know more about the fascinating world of plants that exist around us.

India Quiz : Delights of an Indian Summer

Mon, 08 Oct 2001 19:24:02 +0000

Have you ever wondered why the juiciest fruits grow in the summer? It’s Nature’s way of keeping us cool and quenching our thirst.