Plant Habit

Habit

The general form of a plant is referred to as habit. Based on habit plants are classified into herbs, shrubs, climbers (vines) and trees.

I.  Herbs

Herbs are soft stemmed plants with less wood or no wood. According to the duration of their life they may be classified as annuals, biennials and perennials. Perennial herbs having a bulb, corm, rhizome or tuber as the underground stem are termed as geophytes. Example: Phyllanthus amarus, Cleome viscosa.

II.  Shrubs

A shrub is a perennial, woody plant with several main stems arising from the ground level. Example: Hibiscus

III.  Climbers (Vine)

An elongated weak stem generally supported by means of climbing devices are called Climbers (vines) which may be annual or perennial, herbaceous or woody.

Liana is a vine that is perennial and woody. Liana’s are major components in the tree canopy layer of some tropical forests. Example: Ventilago, Entada, Bougainvillea. 

IV.  Trees

A tree is a stout, tall, perennial, woody plant having one main stem called trunk with many lateral branches. Example: mango, sapota, jack, fig, teak. If the trunk remains unbranched it is said to be caudex. Example: Palmyra, coconut.