Plant Kingdom Classification Flashcards

Flashcards covering major plant groups, their definitions, and shared traits from the plant kingdom infographic.

Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Angiosperms.

What are the five major groups in the Plant Kingdom?

What defines Algae?

Aquatic, photosynthetic, non-vascular organisms like Spirogyra and Ulva

What defines Bryophytes?

Non-vascular terrestrial plants with dominant gametophyte generation (e.g., mosses, liverworts)

What defines Pteridophytes?

Vascular, spore-producing plants with dominant sporophyte (e.g., ferns)

What defines Gymnosperms?

Vascular seed plants with naked seeds (no fruit), e.g., pine, cycad

What defines Angiosperms?

Flowering vascular seed plants with seeds enclosed in fruit, e.g., rose, grass, oak

What do all plants have in common?

Multicellular eukaryotes with cell walls of cellulose, chlorophyll a & b, photosynthesis, alternation of generations

What is alternation of generations?

The life cycle alternates between haploid gametophyte and diploid sporophyte stages

Which groups are non-seed plants?

Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes

Which groups are seed plants?

Gymnosperms, Angiosperms

Which plant groups are vascular?

Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Angiosperms

Which plant groups are non-vascular?

Algae and Bryophytes lack vascular tissues (xylem and phloem) and rely on diffusion or simple tissues for water transport; they are generally small and depend on moist environments.

What is a gametophyte?

The haploid generation of a plant’s life cycle that produces gametes (sperm and eggs); part of the alternation of generations.

What is a seed?

A multicellular reproductive structure containing a plant embryo and nutritive tissue, enclosed in a protective coat; produced by gymnosperms and angiosperms after fertilization.

What are non-vascular plants?

Plants lacking vascular tissue; rely on diffusion and osmosis for water and nutrient transport; typically small and include bryophytes and some algae.

What is a spore?

A single-celled reproductive unit capable of developing into a new organism without fertilization; produced by algae, bryophytes, and pteridophytes.

What is the difference between xylem and phloem?

Xylem is vascular tissue that transports water and dissolved minerals upward from the roots throughout the plant, whereas phloem transports sugars and other organic nutrients produced during photosynthesis to different parts of the plant.

What is photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose using carbon dioxide and water, releasing oxygen as a by-product.