Plant Kingdom Classification and Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering major terms and definitions related to plant kingdom classification, divisions, and key botanical concepts presented in the lecture notes.

Kingdom Plantae

Group of autotrophic, eukaryotic organisms with cell walls that perform photosynthesis and serve as the main food source for other living organisms.

Cryptogams

Plants whose reproductive organs are hidden; they reproduce by spores and include Thallophyta, Bryophyta, and Pteridophyta.

Phanerogams

Seed-producing plants with visible reproductive structures; divided into Gymnosperms and Angiosperms.

Thallophyta

Division of mostly aquatic plants (algae and some fungi) lacking true roots, stems, leaves, and flowers but possessing chlorophyll (in algae).

Bryophyta

Amphibians of the plant kingdom; flat, ribbon-like plants (mosses, liverworts) without true vascular tissues, reproducing by spores.

Pteridophyta

Spore-bearing vascular plants (ferns, Selaginella, Lycopodium) with true roots, stems, and leaves but no flowers or fruits.

Gymnosperms

Evergreen, woody phanerogams whose naked seeds are not enclosed in fruits; e.g., Cycas, Pinus.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants that form fruits containing covered seeds; subdivided into monocots and dicots.

Dicotyledon

Angiosperm whose seed divides into two cotyledons; typically has tap roots, reticulate venation, and flowers with 4 or 5 parts.

Monocotyledon

Angiosperm with a single cotyledon; usually shows fibrous roots, parallel venation, and trimerous flowers.

Algae

Autotrophic, chlorophyll-containing thallophytes that may be unicellular or multicellular and live in fresh or salt water.

Fungi (in Thallophyta context)

Chlorophyll-less organisms such as yeasts and moulds included in Thallophyta due to similar simple body structure.

Chlorophyll

Green pigment enabling photosynthesis, giving plants their colour and autotrophic capability.

Photosynthesis

Process by which plants use chlorophyll to convert light energy into chemical energy, producing food.

Conducting Tissue

Specialized vascular tissue (xylem and phloem) that transports water and food in higher plants.

Spore

Reproductive cell that develops into a new organism without fertilization; characteristic of cryptogams.

Rhizoids

Root-like structures in bryophytes that anchor the plant and absorb water and nutrients.

Sori

Clusters of sporangia on the underside of fern leaves where spores are produced.

Cotyledon

Seed leaf within the embryo of a seed; its number (one or two) distinguishes monocots from dicots.

Five-Kingdom Classification

System proposed by Robert Whittaker (1969) dividing life into Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.