Bio Unit Test - Plant, Fungi, and Protist Biology

Vocabulary flashcards covering plant classes, fungal morphology and phyla, fungal sexual and asexual reproduction, and animal-like, plant-like, and fungus-like protist classifications from the lecture notes.

Seedless Vascular Plants

Plants (e.g., Ferns) that possess vascular tissue but reproduce via spores and require water for flagellated sperm transfer.

Gymnosperms

Plants (e.g., Conifers, Pines, Firs) producing "naked seeds" in cones (not enclosed in fruit) and using pollen grains for wind fertilization without liquid water.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants whose seeds are enclosed within protective ovaries that develop into fruits, with reproduction facilitated by flowers attracting pollinators.

Monocots

An angiosperm class characterized by a single cotyledon (seed leaf), parallel leaf venation, scattered vascular bundles in the stem, floral parts in multiples of 3, and a fibrous root system.

Dicots (Eudicots)

An angiosperm class characterized by two cotyledons, net-like/reticulate leaf venation, vascular bundles arranged in a ring, floral parts in multiples of 4 or 5, and a taproot system.

Absorptive Nutrition

The fungal process of obtaining nutrients by secreting digestive enzymes into the environment and absorbing broken-down organic compounds.

Chitin

The structural material composing fungal cell walls, distinguishing them from the cellulose in plant cell walls.

Hyphae

Thread-like, branching microscopic filaments forming the fungal body.

Mycelium

A dense, interwoven mass of hyphae forming the vegetative body of a fungus.

Chytridiomycota (Chytrids)

Primitive aquatic fungi producing flagellated, motile spores called zoospores.

Zoospores

Flagellated, motile spores produced by Chytridiomycota.

Zygomycota (Zygote Fungi)

Fungi (e.g., Rhizopus / Black Bread Mold) that form thick-walled, resistant structures called zygospores during sexual reproduction.

Zygospores

Thick-walled, resistant structures formed by Zygomycota during sexual reproduction.

Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)

Fungi (e.g., Yeasts, Penicillium, Morels) that produce sexual spores called ascospores inside microscopic sac-like structures called asci.

Ascospores

Sexual spores produced inside microscopic sac-like structures called asci by Ascomycota.

Asci

Microscopic sac-like structures (singular: ascus) in Ascomycota that contain sexual ascospores.

Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)

Fungi (e.g., Mushrooms, Shelf Fungi, Puffballs) that produce sexual spores called basidiospores on club-shaped structures called basidia located on fruiting body gills.

Basidiospores

Sexual spores produced on club-shaped structures called basidia located on fruiting body gills.

Basidia

Club-shaped structures (singular: basidium) located on fruiting body gills where basidiospores are produced.

Plasmogamy

The fusion of hyphae of compatible mating types during fungal sexual reproduction, forming dikaryotic cells.

Karyogamy

Nuclear fusion occurring within dikaryotic fungal cells, preceding meiosis to generate haploid spores.

Protista

Eukaryotic microorganisms that do not fit into Animal, Plant, or Fungi kingdoms, classified primarily by mode of nutrition and locomotion.

Amoeboids (Cercozoa/Sarcodina)

Animal-like protists (e.g., Amoeba) that move and capture food using temporary cytoplasmic extensions called pseudopods.

Pseudopods

Temporary cytoplasmic extensions used by amoeboids for movement and food capture.

Ciliates (Ciliophora)

Animal-like protists (e.g., Paramecium) covered in hair-like cilia used for coordinated movement and feeding.

Flagellates (Zoomastigophora)

Animal-like protists (e.g., Trypanosoma) possessing one or more whip-like flagella for propulsion.

Sporozoans (Apicomplexa)

Non-motile, spore-forming obligate parasites with complex life cycles involving multiple hosts (e.g., Plasmodium, causing malaria).

Euglenoids

Unicellular photosynthetic flagellates with eye spots that act as facultative heterotrophs in darkness.

Dinoflagellates

Unicellular algae with two flagella and cellulose plates that can cause toxic red tides.

Diatoms (Chrysophyta)

Unicellular algae with silica glass-like cell walls (frustules) that act as primary marine producers.

Frustules

Silica glass-like cell walls characteristic of diatoms.

Green Algae (Chlorophyta)

Algae sharing plant-like photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and b) and storing starch, recognized as ancestors to terrestrial plants.

Red Algae (Rhodophyta)

Multicellular marine algae containing phycobilins for capturing light at deep ocean depths.

Brown Algae (Phaeophyta)

Large multicellular kelps possessing specialized structures: holdfast (anchor), stipe (stem-like), and blades (leaf-like).

Holdfast

The specialized anchor structure of brown algae.

Stipe

The specialized stem-like structure of brown algae.

Blades

The specialized leaf-like structures of brown algae.

Water Molds (Oomycetes)

Fungus-like protists that have cell walls made of cellulose, distinguishing them from true fungi which have cell walls made of chitin.