30. May 16th, 2011
Plants
According to the book that I read, there are over 300,000 different kinds of plants, and they are found in all out the very coldest parts of the earth. There are plants in the ocean too. Most of plants are green. The color comes from green pigment called chlorophyll. Plants range in size from tiny single-called algae to giant redwoods and Australian Eucalyptus trees that reach more than 100 meters. Some plants live for just a few week, others live for thousands of years.
Plants are essential to the survival of all living things. They are producers, because they are responsible for making food. Animals are consumers, because they eat plants. But some animals, called carnivores, eat meat. And animal that eat only plants is called herbivores. In this way, plants and animals are form food chain. Plants also an important source of food, and they make up a large part of our diet. The three most important plants are rice, maize, and wheat. These plants are large grasses and they are called cereals. Cereals are useful plants, because they produce seeds that contain the starch and protein that we need.
Wheat seeds are ground up to make flour, while maize and rice can be cooked as they are. In many part of the world, people survive on a totally vegetarian diet that contains only plants, with no animal food at all. Besides that, there are plants that used to medicinal. For example, there is a plant that used to reduce pain, heal wounds, and cure illness. The bark of the cinchona trees produce quinine which is used to treat malaria. Digitalis mad from foxgloves may be used to treat heart disease. Rheumatism may be treated with drugs made from the autumn crocus, and leukemia with drugs from the periwingkle. In addition, forests that contain many plants are very important to the atmosphere, because trees use up carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Unfortunately many forests have been felled for their woods, and many types of trees are in danger of dying out. Word is a versatile material that is used for fuel, timber, and furniture. Two of the most prized woods furniture-making teak and mahogany come from the rainforest.