Lecture_20_-_Living_on_land_-_plant_evolution_2200_Sp25_TO_POST

Monophyletic

A group of organisms that are all descended from a common ancestor.

Vascular plants

Plants that have specialized tissues for transporting water and nutrients.

Bryophytes

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

Xylem

Vascular tissue responsible for the conduction of water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant.

Phloem

Vascular tissue that transports sugars and other metabolic products downward from the leaves.

Stomata

Small openings on the surface of leaves that allow for gas exchange.

Waxy cuticle

A protective layer on plant leaves that helps prevent water loss.

Mycorrhizae

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

Alternation of generations

A reproductive cycle that includes both a multicellular diploid phase and a multicellular haploid phase.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed within a fruit.

Gymnosperms

Non-flowering seed plants, such as conifers, that produce seeds unprotected by an ovary.

Seeds

Structures that contain a plant embryo and are adapted for dispersal.

Pollen

A fine powder containing male gametes that is involved in the fertilization of ovules.

Flavonoids

Plant metabolites that provide UV protection, acting like 'sunscreen' for plants.

Lignin

A complex organic polymer that provides structural support to plant cell walls.

Dispersal

The process by which seeds and spores are spread away from the parent plant.

Flowers

Reproductive structures in angiosperms that facilitate pollination.

Fruits

Mature ovaries of flowering plants that protect seeds and aid in their dispersal.