Topic 8: Plant Diversity

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts and terminology related to plant diversity.

Archaeplastida

A major group containing red algae, green algae, and land plants.

Multicellularity

The state of being composed of multiple cells, a key trait of plants.

Sporopollenin

A polymer that prevents desiccation, found in the spores of land plants.

Haploid and Diploid

Refers to multistage life cycles in plants; haploid (gametophyte) and diploid (sporophyte).

Vascular Tissues

Tissues responsible for transporting water and nutrients in vascular plants; includes xylem and phloem.

Heterospory

The production of two distinct types of spores (microspores and megaspores), a common adaptation in seed plants.

Gymnosperms

Seed plants that produce seeds that are not enclosed in an ovary; includes conifers.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed within a fruit.

Cuticle

A waxy layer that helps prevent desiccation in plants.

Gametangia

Structures that produce gametes; includes archegonia (female) and antheridia (male).

Phylogenetic Tree

A diagram showing the evolutionary relationships among various species.

Spore-producing Structures

Structures in plants that produce spores via meiosis; includes sporangia.

Double Fertilization

A unique process in angiosperms where one sperm fertilizes the egg and another forms the endosperm.

Meristem

Regions of plant tissue consisting of actively dividing cells, from which new cells are derived.

Photosynthetic Pigments

Molecules like chlorophylls that absorb light for photosynthesis, also used to classify plants.

Alternation of Generations

Life cycle of plants that alternates between a multicellular diploid phase and a multicellular haploid phase.

Bryophytes

Nonvascular plants including mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, characterized by a dominant gametophyte stage.

Sori

Clusters of sporangia in ferns where spores are produced.

Ovule

A structure that develops into a seed after fertilization, consisting of the megasporangium, megaspore, and integuments.

Embryo

The early developmental stage of a plant, formed after fertilization.

Fertilization

The fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote.

Monocots

A group of angiosperms characterized by one cotyledon in the seed; includes grasses and orchids.

Eudicots

A group of angiosperms that have two cotyledons in the seed; includes most flowering plants.

Rhizoids

Root-like structures in bryophytes that anchor the gametophyte.

Protonema

The early stage of development in bryophytes, forming threadlike filaments.

Capsule

The sporangium of the bryophyte sporophyte where spores are produced and released.