Vascular Plant Evolution, Seed and Flowering Plants

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary related to vascular plant evolution, seed and flowering plants, providing definitions for key terms and concepts.

Angiosperm

Flowering plants; seeds enclosed within fruits derived from ovaries.

Bilateral symmetry

Only one plane divides the flower evenly.

Bryophyte

Nonvascular plant, e.g., mosses, liverworts.

Carpel

Female reproductive organ comprising stigma, style, and ovary.

Cotyledon

Seed leaf; there is one in monocots and two in dicots.

Dicot (Eudicot)

Plant with two cotyledons and net-like veins, examples include roses and oaks.

Double fertilization

Process where one sperm fertilizes the egg and another fuses with two nuclei to form endosperm.

Endosperm

Triploid food tissue that nourishes the developing embryo.

Fruit

Mature ovary that encloses seeds and aids in their dispersal.

Gymnosperm

Seed plant with naked seeds, which do not form flowers.

Heterospory

Production of two spore types: microspores (male) and megaspores (female).

Homospory

Production of one spore type giving rise to bisexual gametophytes.

Megaspore

Spore that develops into a female gametophyte, producing eggs.

Microspore

Spore that develops into a male gametophyte, producing sperm.

Monocot

Plant with one cotyledon and parallel leaf veins, examples include grasses and lilies.

Ovule

Structure containing the female gametophyte and developing embryo sac.

Phloem

Vascular tissue that transports sugars and organic nutrients.

Pollen grain

Male gametophyte enclosed within a protective wall, allowing for fertilization without water.

Pollination

Transfer of pollen to the stigma.

Radial symmetry

Multiple lines divide the flower into equal parts.

Seed

Structure containing a diploid embryo, stored food, and a protective coat.

Seed dispersal

Movement of seeds away from the parent plant by wind, water, or animals.

Sori

Clusters of sporangia on fern fronds.

Stamen

Male reproductive organ composed of anther and filament.

Strobilus

Cone-like structure bearing sporangia, found in lycophytes and gymnosperms.

Vascular plants (tracheophytes)

Plants with vascular tissues (xylem and phloem) that transport water, minerals, and sugars.

Vascular tissue

Tissue comprised of xylem and phloem, enabling transport and structural support.

Xylem

Vascular tissue that transports water and minerals from roots to shoots.