grasslandHighveld grassland near Heidelberg, South Africa, southeast of Johannesburg.(more)plant, (kingdom Plantae), any multicellular life-form characterized by (1) (a characteristic possessed by all plants except some parasitic plants and underground ), in which is produced from , , and with the aid of and the of the Sun, (2) essentially unlimited growth at localized regions, (3) that contain in their walls and are therefore to some extent rigid, (4) the absence of organs of , resulting in a more or less stationary existence, (5) the absence of , and (6) life histories that show an alteration of haploid and diploid generations, with the dominance of one over the other being taxonomically significant.duckweedDuckweed (Lemna minor).(more)giant sequoiaGiant sequoia tree in California.(more)Plants range in size from diminutive duckweeds only a few millimetres in length to the of California that reach 90 metres (300 feet) or more in height. There are an estimated 390,900 different of plants known to science, and new species are continually being described, particularly from previously unexplored tropical areas of the world. Plants evolved from aquatic ancestors and have subsequently migrated over the entire surface of , inhabiting tropical, Arctic, desert, and Alpine regions. Some plants have returned to an aquatic habitat in either fresh or .PhotosynthesisDiagram of photosynthesis showing how water, light, and carbon dioxide are absorbed by a plant to produce oxygen, sugars, and more carbon dioxide.(more)Plants play a vital role in the maintenance of life on Earth. All used by living organisms depends on the complex process of , which is mostly carried out by green plants. Radiant energy from the is transformed into organic chemical energy in the form of through the fundamental series of chemical reactions constituting photosynthesis. In nature all begin with photosynthetic (primary producers), including green plants and . Primary producers, represented by , , and herbs, are a prolific source of energy in the form of (sugars) stored in the . These carbohydrates, produced in photosynthesis, are broken down in a process called respiration; the smaller units of the molecule and its products fuel numerous metabolic processes. Various parts of the plant (e.g., leaves) are the energy sources that support life in different community . A by-product of photosynthesis, , is essential to animals.The daily existence of is also directly influenced by plants. Plants furnish and flavourings; raw materials for industry, such as , , , and ; for the manufacture of fabrics and cordage; medicines; ; and fuels. More than half of Earth’s relies on the , (maize), and as their primary source of food. Apart from their commercial and aesthetic value, plants conserve other natural resources by protecting from , by controlling water levels and quality, and by producing a favourable ., Plants is an international, scientific, peer-reviewed, open access journal on plant science published semimonthly online by MDPI. The Australian Society of Plant Scientists (ASPS), the Spanish Phytopathological Society (SEF), the Spanish Society of Plant Biology (SEBP), the Spanish Society of Horticultural Sciences (SECH) and the Italian Society of Phytotherapy (S.I.Fit.) are affiliated with , All living things were traditionally placed into one of two groups, plants and animals. This classification dates from Aristotle (384–322 BC), who distinguished different levels of beings in his biology, [5] based on whether living things had a "sensitive soul" or like plants only a "vegetative soul". [6] Theophrastus, Aristotle's student, continued his work in plant taxonomy and .