Plants and Fungi

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to seedless and seed plants plus fungi.

Bryophytes

Non-vascular plants including liverworts, hornworts, and mosses.

Alternation of Generations

The life cycle of plants that includes both a multicellular diploid (sporophyte) phase and a multicellular haploid (gametophyte) phase.

Sporopollenin

A tough protective substance covering the spores of plants, preventing desiccation.

Embryophytes

The clade of living plants that includes all terrestrial plants, which evolved from charophytes.

Mycorrhizae

Symbiotic relationships between fungi and plant roots that enhance nutrient absorption.

Tracheid Cells

Water-conducting cells found in the xylem of vascular plants, allowing for efficient transport of water.

Sorus (sori)

Cluster of sporangia on the underside of fern fronds where spores are produced.

Homosporous

Plants that produce only one type of spore that develops into a bisexual gametophyte.

Heterosporous

Plants that produce two types of spores, male microspores and female megaspores.

Gymnosperms

Seed-bearing plants that produce seeds not enclosed in an ovary.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed within a fruit.

Cuticle

A waxy layer covering the aerial parts of plants that reduces water loss.

Stomata

Small openings on the leaf surface that allow for gas exchange.

Spore

A reproductive unit in plants that can develop into a new organism.

Non-Vascular Plants

Plants that lack a vascular system, including mosses, liverworts, and hornworts.

Xylem

Vascular tissue responsible for the transport of water and minerals from roots to other parts of the plant.

Phloem

Vascular tissue responsible for the transport of sugars and nutrients produced by photosynthesis.

Ferns

Seedless vascular plants that reproduce via spores and often have large fronds.

Tracheophytes

Vascular plants that have specialized tissues for transporting water and nutrients.

Rhizoids

Root-like structures in non-vascular plants that anchor the plant but have limited water uptake.

Meristems

Regions of undifferentiated cells in plants where active growth occurs.

Desiccation

The process of drying out; a significant challenge for terrestrial plants.

Turgor Pressure

The pressure of the cell contents against the cell wall, crucial for plant structure and support.

What are the two major groups of seed-bearing plants?

Gymnosperms and Angiosperms

What type of seeds do Gymnosperms have?

Naked seeds

During which geological period did Gymnosperms dominate?

Mesozoic era

What is the primary function of dermal tissue in plants?

To prevent water loss and protect the plant

What are the two main types of vascular tissue?

Xylem and Phloem

What is the role of Xylem tissue?

To conduct water and minerals from roots to leaves

What is the function of Phloem tissue?

To transport sugars (sap) from leaves to the rest of the plant

What are the three types of ground tissue cells?

Parenchyma, Collenchyma, and Sclerenchyma

What is the difference between primary and secondary growth in plants?

Primary growth increases length, while secondary growth increases diameter.

What is the function of meristems in plants?

Regions of rapid cell division that allow for plant growth

What type of plants are considered herbaceous?

Plants that only exhibit primary growth

What is heartwood?

The central dead core of old vascular tissue in trees

What is the role of the vascular cambium?

To produce new vascular tissue (Xylem and Phloem)

What is the difference between monoecious and dioecious plants?

Monoecious plants have both male and female structures, while dioecious plants have either male or female structures.

What is the significance of the gametophyte stage in Gymnosperms?

It is reduced to a tiny internal structure on the sporophyte.

What are the four divisions of Gymnosperms?

Cycadophyta, Gnetophyta, Ginkgophyta, and Coniferophyta

What is the only extant species of Ginkgophyta?

Ginkgo biloba

What type of reproductive structures do Cycadophyta produce?

Dioecious plants produce either pollen or seed cones.

What are the main characteristics of Angiosperms?

They are flowering and fruit-bearing plants.

What is the role of the cork cambium?

To provide structural support and generate bark.

What is evapotranspiration in plants?

The process where water is drawn out of leaves, creating a suction that pulls more water into the roots.

What are the two types of seed plants based on reproductive structures?

Monoecious and Dioecious

What adaptations do Gymnosperms have for reproduction?

Gamete fertilization is no longer water-dependent, and sperm do not need to swim.

What is the significance of the alternation of generations in seed plants?

It involves a dominant sporophyte phase and a reduced gametophyte phase.

What type of plant tissue is responsible for photosynthesis and storage?

Parenchyma cells

What is the primary function of collenchyma cells?

To support the plant while remaining flexible.

What type of cells are sclerenchyma cells?

Supportive cells that are dead at maturity and have thick, lignified walls.

What is the primary characteristic of Pinophyta?

Over 600 extant species, mostly trees and some shrubs, many are evergreens.

Name two sample species from the Pinophyta group.

Cedars and Firs.

What is Gnetophyta believed to be closely related to?

Angiosperms.

During which geological period did angiosperms evolve?

Cretaceous period.

How many species do angiosperms account for?

Over 250,000 species.

What is the female gametophyte size in angiosperms?

About 7 cells in size.

What is the purpose of flowers in angiosperms?

To attract pollinators.

What happens to fertilized ovules in angiosperms?

They form seeds inside the ovary, which becomes a fruit.

What is double fertilization in angiosperms?

Two male gametes fertilize a single ovule, forming a zygote and endosperm.

What are hermaphroditic flowers?

Flowers that contain both male and female gametangia.

What are simple fruits?

Fruits that develop from a single carpel of one flower.

What are aggregate fruits?

Fruits that develop from multiple, unfused carpels of one flower.

What are the three main parts of a seed?

Embryo, endosperm, and seed coat.

What is the function of the seed coat?

To protect the fertilized plant embryo and prevent desiccation.

What are annual plants?

Plants that complete their life cycle in one year.

What are perennials?

Plants that live for two or more years and return year after year.

What are the major groups of angiosperms?

Basal angiosperms, monocots, and dicots.

What defines monocots?

Herbaceous plants with flowers typically in multiples of 3 and parallel leaf veins.

What defines dicots?

Typically herbaceous plants with petals in groups of 4 or 5 and net-like leaf veins.

What is the role of root caps?

To protect the meristem as the root grows through the soil.

What is the primary function of leaves?

To serve as the primary photosynthetic tissue of a plant.

What is ethnobotany?

The study of the cultural significance of plants in human history.

Name a medicinal application of atropine.

Pupil dilation.

What is the source of morphine?

Dried latex rubber obtained from the opium poppy.

What is the significance of rice in human agriculture?

It has been cultivated for 8,000 years and is a primary food source.

What characterized Earth before terrestrial plants during the Cambrian period?

Earth was a rocky, barren wasteland with no shade.

What were the conditions of Silurian Earth?

Silurian Earth had no soils, only rock, and poor water retention.

What role did plants and fungi play in Earth's history?

They were responsible for terraforming Earth, making it habitable for animals.

When did the first terrestrial non-vascular plants appear?

During the Ordovician Period, approximately 480 million years ago.

What significant plant development occurred in the Silurian Period?

The emergence of the first vascular plants.

What type of plants dominated during the Triassic and Jurassic periods?

Gymnosperms.

What significant plant group rose during the Cretaceous Period?

Angiosperms, including grasses.

What are Hepatophyta commonly known as?

Liverworts.

What are nonvascular plants commonly referred to?

Bryophytes.

What are seedless vascular plants, excluding Lycophytes, commonly called?

Pterophytes or Pteridophytes.

What unifying traits define the plant kingdom?

Terrestrial, non-motile, multicellular, eukaryotic, photoautotrophs with cellulose cell walls.

What happens to plant cells in hypotonic environments?

They become turgid, creating turgor pressure that provides structure.

From what did terrestrial embryophytes evolve?

A common protist ancestor known as a charophyte.

When did charophytes move onto land?

During the Ordovician period, approximately 480 million years ago.

What is the significance of the Carboniferous Period in plant history?

It saw rapid radiations of all plants, leading to fossil fuel deposits from their remains.

What is the primary function of the cell wall in plant cells?

To prevent lysis and maintain turgor pressure.

What type of environment do embryophytes primarily inhabit?

Terrestrial environments.

What is the evolutionary significance of the plant kingdom?

It represents the adaptation of organisms to live on land.

What is the primary mode of nutrition for plants?

Photosynthesis.

What adaptations allowed plants to conquer terrestrial environments?

Developments such as vascular tissues and protective structures.

What are the two major taxa of seedless plants?

Non-vascular plants (Bryophytes) and seedless vascular plants (Pterophytes).

What are Charophyceans commonly called?

Stoneworts

What is the nearest common ancestor to Kingdom Plantae?

Charophyceans

Where are Charophytes typically found?

In freshwater environments at the edge of shallow rivers, streams, and ponds.

What adaptation allows Charophytes to survive brief periods of desiccation?

Reproductive spores coated in sporopollenin.