Plant Classification and Taxonomy

Vocabulary flashcards covering biological classification, plant taxonomy, structural characteristics, plant families, and life cycle types based on Olds College lecture notes.

Plant Taxonomy

The science of naming and classifying plants by grouping them according to shared similarities such as appearance, internal structures, and the form of reproductive organs.

Domain Prokaryota

A domain comprising unicellular organisms with prokaryotic cells that reproduce asexually by fission, including the kingdoms Archaea and Bacteria.

Domain Eukaryota

A domain consisting of organisms composed of eukaryotic cells, including kingdoms Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.

Kingdom Archaea

A prokaryotic kingdom of unicellular organisms that acquire energy through oxidation-reduction reactions and reproduce asexually by fission.

Kingdom Bacteria

A prokaryotic kingdom of unicellular organisms that acquire energy through absorption and some photosynthesis, reproducing asexually by fission.

Kingdom Protista

A eukaryotic kingdom containing unicellular and multicellular organisms that obtain energy through absorption and some photosynthesis, reproducing both asexually and sexually.

Kingdom Fungi

A eukaryotic kingdom of multicellular organisms lacking plastids or photosynthetic pigments that absorb nutrients by feeding on dead material, recycling nutrients, and reproducing sexually and asexually via spores.

Kingdom Plantae

A eukaryotic kingdom of autotrophic, multicellular organisms containing cell walls that acquire energy primarily through photosynthesis and reproduce both asexually and sexually.

Kingdom Animalia

A eukaryotic kingdom of multicellular organisms lacking cell walls and plastids that obtain energy through ingestion and reproduce sexually, with rare asexual occurrences.

Thallophytes

A subkingdom of primitive 'lower plants' in Kingdom Plantae that lack true stems, roots, or leaves, including green, red, and brown algae.

Bryophytes

A subkingdom of non-vascular land plants that reproduce via spores and single-cell division, encompassing liverworts, mosses, and hornworts.

Ferns and Fern Allies

A subkingdom of vascular plants that reproduce via spores rather than seeds, including horsetails and ferns.

Gymnosperms

A subkingdom of seed plants that produce 'naked seeds' without flowers or fruits, including cycads, ginkgos, and conifers.

Angiosperms

The most dominant and varied plant division on Earth, characterized by flowering plants that produce enclosed seeds within fruits.

Non-Vascular Plants

Plants that lack xylem and phloem tissues, do not have true roots, stems, or leaves, and typically live low to the ground in moist, shady habitats.

Vascular Plants

Plants possessing true roots, stems, and leaves along with specialized xylem and phloem conducting tissues.

Xylem

A specialized vascular tissue responsible for carrying water throughout a vascular plant.

Phloem

A specialized vascular tissue responsible for transporting food throughout a vascular plant.

Division Pteridophyta

A taxonomic division of vascular plants that reproduce via spores.

Division Spermatophyta

A taxonomic division of vascular plants that reproduce via seeds.

Monocotyledons (Monocots)

A class of angiosperms characterized by an embryo with one cotyledon, fibrous roots, parallel leaf veins, one mesophyll layer, scattered vascular bundles, no cambium, lack of branching, and floral parts in multiples of three.

Dicotyledons (Dicots)

A class of angiosperms characterized by an embryo with two cotyledons, taproots, net-veined leaves, two mesophyll layers, vascular bundles in a ring, presence of cambium, branching stems, and floral parts in multiples of four or five.

Family Poaceae (Gramineae)

The grass family of monocots, which includes agricultural species like corn (Zea mays) and hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Family Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)

The mustard family of dicots, which includes canola or rapeseed (Brassica napus L.).

Family Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

The legume or pea family of dicots, which includes garden or field peas (Pisum sativum L.).

Family Asteraceae (Compositae)

The sunflower family of dicots, which includes common annual sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.).

Specific Epithet

The second, uncapitalized word in a binomial scientific name that describes a unique characteristic such as color, form, growth habit, or native origin.

Authority

The designation following a scientific name indicating the individual who originally described and named the species (e.g., 'L.' for Linnaeus).

Annual

A plant that completes its life cycle from seed to seed within one growing season and dies after seed production.

Biennial

A plant that requires two growing seasons to complete its life cycle, forming a vegetative rosette the first year, then flowering, producing seed, and dying the second year.

Perennial

A plant that lives for more than two years and typically produces seeds annually once it reaches maturity.

Herbaceous

Plants possessing little or no woody tissue that typically persist for only a single growing season.

Woody

Plants with persistent woody parts that contain cambium and associated secondary vascular structures.

Coniferous

Trees and shrubs that produce cones and commonly possess needle-shaped or scale-like foliage.

Evergreen

Trees and shrubs that retain functional green leaves throughout all seasons of the year.

Deciduous

Trees and shrubs that shed or drop their leaves annually.