Plant Diversity I: How Plants Colonized Land

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards based on key concepts from the lecture on plant diversity and evolution.

Macroevolution

The broad pattern of evolution above the species level.

Fossil record

Provides evidence of macroevolutionary changes over geological time scales.

Prokaryotes

Single-celled organisms without a nucleus that lived on land around 3.2 billion years ago.

Sporophyte

The multicellular diploid phase in the life cycle of plants that produces spores.

Charophytes

The closest relatives of land plants, a type of green algae.

Sporopollenin

A highly resistant polymer that protects spores and zygotes from desiccation and UV damage.

Apical meristems

Localized regions of cell division at the tips of roots and shoots that enable growth.

Vascular tissue

Complex tissues that facilitate the transport of water, nutrients, and sugars in plants.

Gametophyte

The multicellular haploid phase in the life cycle of plants that produces gametes.

Stomata

Tiny openings in plant leaves that regulate gas exchange.

Embryophytes

Land plants characterized by the retention and nourishment of the developing embryo.

Desiccation tolerance

The ability of plants to tolerate drying out; adaptations include a waxy cuticle.

Xylem

Vascular tissue responsible for the conduction of water and minerals.

Phloem

Vascular tissue responsible for the transport of organic materials like sugars.

Alternation of generations

The life cycle pattern of plants alternating between gametophytes and sporophytes.

Sporoangia

Multicellular organs in which spores are produced.