This primer is organized around a collection of questions about plant function. For each question we will explore a number of topics that illuminate some aspect of the overall question and that are meant as a point of departure for further study of that topic. Hopefully this primer provides just enough information, at just the right level of detail, that you can begin to explore the topic in more depth on your own.

Overarching Questions

• How do plants control when and where they germinate?
• How do plants grow and develop into complex structures?
• How do plants respond to environmental signals?
• How do plants convert light into chemical energy?
• How do plants defend themselves against attack?
• How do plants transition to reproductive growth?