Nutrition

Aquilegia Vulgaris is autotrophic like most plants and utilizes energy from the sun to produce energy for growth and function. As a primary producer Columbine goes through photosynthesis which is the process that produces food for the plant.

Photosynthesis is a process that is carried out in the chloroplasts of the plant which are located in the leaves. Carbon Dioxide is utilized from the atmosphere for this process along with water from the roots and the energy from the sun. The products of photosynthesis are Glucose and Oxygen.
The chemical equation for photosynthesis is:

©Rmstock at en.wikipedia
    The products are then either released or used by the plant. Glucose is the main energy produced for the plant and is utilized in the plant for metabolic purposes and building other parts of the plant to grow larger and taller or it is broken down again and used for cellular respiration in the plant. Oxygen is either released into the atmosphere or brought back into the plant to be a electron receptor from the electron transport chain.
    The sugar and water are transported though the plant though specialized tubes called the xylem and phloem. The phloem is responsible for transporting the sugar to various parts of the plant. Transport is not simply up and down, this goes in many directions but always from the source ( leaves) to a sink ( roots or any part of the plant that needs energy). The xylem is responsible for water transportation. The water is drawn up from the roots to the leaves through transpiration.
    In the diagram the phloem are represented as 2 while the xylem is 1.
                                                                

                                                     
                                                                                                                         ©Michael Salave(Barakplasma)

To learn more about reproduction click here