Plant Biology Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards for plant biology lecture notes.

Alternation of Generations

A life cycle with both multicellular diploid (sporophyte) and haploid (gametophyte) forms; characteristic of plants and some algae.

Angiosperm

A flowering plant that forms seeds inside a protective chamber called an ovary.

Apical Meristem

A localized region at a growing tip of a plant body where cells divide repeatedly, enabling the plant to grow in length.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

Associations of a fungus with a plant root system, causing invagination of the plant cells’ plasma membranes.

Bryophytes

Informal name for mosses, liverworts, or hornworts; nonvascular plants lacking some terrestrial adaptations of vascular plants.

Carpel

The ovule-producing reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of the stigma, style, and ovary.

Chitin

A structural polysaccharide found in fungal cell walls and arthropod exoskeletons.

Conifer

Member of the largest gymnosperm phylum; cone-bearing trees like pines and firs.

Cuticle

A waxy covering on stems and leaves preventing desiccation in terrestrial plants.

Ectomycorrhizal Fungi

A symbiotic fungus forming sheaths of hyphae over plant roots and growing into extracellular spaces of the root cortex.

Embryophyte

Alternate name for plants referring to their shared trait of multicellular, dependent embryos.

Endophyte

A fungus living inside a leaf or other plant part without causing harm.

Flower

A specialized shoot with modified leaves bearing structures for sexual reproduction in angiosperms.

Fruit

A mature ovary of a flower that protects dormant seeds and aids in their dispersal.

Gametophyte

The multicellular haploid form in plants and algae with alternation of generations, producing haploid gametes by mitosis.

Gymnosperm

A vascular plant that bears naked seeds not enclosed in protective chambers.

Hypha

One of many connected filaments that make up the mycelium of a fungus.

Integument

Layer of sporophyte tissue contributing to the structure of a seed plant's ovule.

Karyogamy

Fusion of haploid nuclei contributed by two parents in fungi; a stage of sexual reproduction preceded by plasmogamy.

Leaves

The main photosynthetic organ of vascular plants.

Lichen

A mutualistic association between a fungus and a photosynthetic alga or cyanobacterium.

Lignin

A strong polymer in secondary cell walls of vascular plants providing structural support.

Lycophytes

Informal name for a member of the phylum Lycophyta, including club mosses and their relatives.

Megaphylls

A leaf with a highly branched vascular system found in almost all vascular plants (except lycophytes).

Microphylls

A small, spine-shaped leaf supported by a single strand of vascular tissue, found only in lycophytes.

Monilophyte

Informal name for a member of the phylum Monilophyta, including ferns and their relatives.

Mycelium

The densely branched network of hyphae in a fungus.

Mycorrhiza

A mutualistic association of plant roots and fungus.

Nucleariid

Member of a group of unicellular, amoeboid protists more closely related to fungi than to other protists.

Ovary

In flowers, the portion of a carpel in which egg-containing ovules develop.

Ovule

A structure that develops within the ovary of a seed plant and contains the female gametophyte.

Petal

A modified leaf of a flowering plant, often colorful, that attracts insects and other pollinators.

Phloem

Vascular plant tissue consisting of living cells arranged into tubes transporting sugar and nutrients.

Pistil

A single carpel (simple) or a group of fused carpels (compound).

Plasmogamy

Fusion of cytoplasm from two individuals in fungi; a stage of sexual reproduction followed by karyogamy.

Pollen Grain

In seed plants, a structure consisting of the male gametophyte enclosed within a pollen wall.

Pollination

The transfer of pollen to the part of a seed plant containing the ovules, required for fertilization.

Rhizoids

A long, tubular single cell or filament anchoring bryophytes; not composed of tissues and lacking specialized conducting cells.

Root

An organ in vascular plants anchoring the plant and absorbing water and minerals from the soil.

Seed

An adaptation of some terrestrial plants: an embryo packaged with a food store within a protective coat.

Seedless Vascular Plants

Informal name for plants with vascular tissue but lacking seeds; includes Lycophyta and Monilophyta.

Sepal

A modified leaf in angiosperms enclosing and protecting a flower bud before it opens.

Sporangium

A multicellular organ in fungi and plants where meiosis occurs and haploid cells develop.

Spores

Haploid cell produced in the sporophyte by meiosis that can develop into a multicellular haploid gametophyte.

Sporophyte

The multicellular diploid form resulting from gamete union in organisms with alternation of generations.

Sporopollenin

A durable polymer covering exposed zygotes of charophyte algae and forming plant spore walls, preventing drying.

Stamen

The pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of an anther and a filament.

Stoma

A microscopic pore in the epidermis of leaves/stems allowing gas exchange; surrounded by guard cells.

Tracheid

A long, tapered water-conducting cell in the xylem of nearly all vascular plants; non-living when functioning.

Vascular Plants

A plant with vascular tissue; includes all living plant species except liverworts, mosses, and hornworts.

Vascular Tissue

Plant tissue consisting of cells joined into tubes transporting water and nutrients throughout the plant body.

Xylem

Vascular plant tissue conducting water and minerals upward from the roots; mainly tubular dead cells.

Yeast

Single-celled fungus reproducing asexually by binary fission or budding; can grow as yeasts or filaments.