BIO 172L Life Cycles of Moss, Ferns, and Angiosperms

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, word origins, morphological structures, life cycles, and phylum characteristics for mosses, ferns, and angiosperms based on BIO 172L.

Photoautotroph

An organism capable of producing its own food using light. (Word origin: photo, auto, troph - light, by itself, nourishment).

Gamete

A haploid ($n$) cell that serves as the unit of sexual reproduction; fuses during fertilization to form a diploid zygote. (Word origin: gamos - marriage, union).

Gametophyte

The haploid ($n$) individual or multicellular structure in plants that produces gametes by mitosis. (Word origin: phyte - plant).

Sporophyte

The diploid ($2n$) individual or multicellular structure in plants that produces haploid spores through meiosis. (Word origin: sporo, phyte - spore, plant).

Bryophyte

An ancient lineage of photosynthetic land plants (mosses) lacking true vascular tissue, whose dominant stage is the gametophyte and which depend on water for reproduction. (Word origin: bryo - tree-moss).

Rhizoid

Root-like structures in mosses and lower plants that anchor the plant to a surface but do not play a major role in water or nutrient uptake. (Word origin: rhiza - root-like).

Antheridium

The male reproductive structure in mosses and ferns that produces flagellated sperm. (Word origin: anther - flower; plural: antheridia).

Archegonium

The female reproductive structure in mosses and ferns that produces and retains the egg. (Word origin: arkhe, gonos - chief, race; plural: archegonia).

Monilophyta

A phylum of seedless vascular plants that includes ferns, whisk ferns (moa), and horsetails, characterized by a dominant sporophyte stage. (Word origin: monil, phyta - Necklace, plant).

Prothallium

The small, thin, heart-shaped, photosynthetic gametophyte stage of a fern that grows close to the ground. (Word origin: pro, thallus - forward, twig; plural: prothallia).

Sorus

A cluster of sporangia located on the underside of a mature fern frond. (Word origin: soros - heap; plural: sori).

Angiosperm

Flowering plants in Phylum Anthophyta (or Angiospermophyta) that produce flowers, seeds, and fruits. (Word origin: angio, sperma - Container, sperm).

Filament

The thin stalk of a stamen that supports the anther in a flower. (Word origin: filum - thread; plural: filaments).

Actinomorphic

Describing a flower that is regular, having all petals identical in size and shape. (Word origin: aktis, morphe - ray, shape).

Zygomorphic

Describing a flower that is irregular, having some petals shaped or sized differently from others. (Word origin: zygo, morphe - a pair, shape).

Carpel

The female reproductive structure of a flower (also called a pistil), consisting of the stigma, style, and ovary. (Word origin: karpos - fruit; plural: carpels).

Stigma

The sticky top portion of the carpel/pistil where pollen lands. (Word origin: stigma - stick; plural: stigmas or stigmata).

Photosynthesis Chemical Equation

The chemical process used by photoautotrophs to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen: $6CO_2 + 6H_2O \rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2$

Alternation of Generations

A key plant characteristic where the life cycle alternates between a diploid ($2n$) sporophyte generation and a haploid ($n$) gametophyte generation.

Seta

The long stalk of a moss sporophyte that holds up the capsule to aid in spore dispersal.

Operculum

The lid covering a moss capsule (sporangium) that falls off when spores are mature and ready to be released.

Peristome teeth

Tooth-like structures surrounding the edge of a moss capsule opening that help control gradual spore release.

Annulus

A spiny-looking structure wrapped around a fern sporangium capsule that straightens as it dries to open the capsule and release spores.

Endosperm

A triploid ($3n$) tissue formed in angiosperm seeds when a haploid sperm nucleus fuses with two central nuclei; serves as food storage for the developing embryo.

Moss Sporophyte and Gametophyte Diagram

Structure of a moss highlighting the diploid ($2n$) sporophyte capsule and seta supported by the dominant haploid ($n$) gametophyte base.

Moss Life Cycle Diagram

Illustrated life cycle of moss showing the alternation between haploid ($n$) gametophytes producing gametes via antheridia/archegonia and diploid ($2n$) sporophytes releasing spores via meiosis.

Fern Life Cycle Diagram

Illustrated life cycle of ferns showing the dominant sporophyte ($2n$) with sori, meiosis producing haploid ($n$) spores, and the heart-shaped prothallium gametophyte stage.

Idealized Flower Structure Diagram

Morphology of an angiosperm flower displaying the peduncle, sepals, petals, stamen (anther and filament), and pistil/carpel (stigma, style, ovary, ovule, pollen tube).

Plant Phyla Comparison Table

Comparative overview of feature differences between Mosses (Bryophyta), Ferns (Monilophyta), and Angiosperms (Angiospermophyta) across tissue type, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, and dominant life stages.