The Colonization of Land

Flashcards that cover key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on the colonization of land by plants and fungi.

Sporopollenin

A durable polymer that prevents zygotes from drying out in charophytes and is also found in plant spore walls.

Embryophytes

Plants that have embryos; the term is used until the boundaries of the plant kingdom are debated.

Apical meristems

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

Mycorrhizae

A plant-fungal symbiosis where fungal hyphae transfer nutrients to the plant partner.

Bryophytes

Nonvascular plants represented by liverworts, mosses, and hornworts.

Xylem

Vascular tissue that conducts water and minerals from the roots throughout the plant.

Phloem

Vascular tissue that distributes sugars, amino acids, and other organic products.

Ovules

Structures that develop into seeds after fertilization; consist of a female gametophyte surrounded by protective tissue.

Flower

A specialized shoot in angiosperms with modified leaves for sexual reproduction.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants convert CO2 into organic compounds, significantly affecting the carbon cycle.