Evolution of Body Forms in Green Plants

A set of flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to the evolution of body forms in green plants as discussed in lecture notes.

Green Plants

Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae, specifically the Viridiplantae group, which includes green algae and terrestrial plants.

Chara sp.

A type of charophycean algae considered to be the ancestor of land plants; characterized by internal fertilization and the presence of plasmodesmata.

Symplasmic Continuity

The interconnected cytoplasm of adjacent cells in multicellular organisms, allowing for communication and sharing of materials.

Colonial Forms

Plant structures that consist of groups of individual cells or organisms that remain physically connected through cell adhesion.

Karyokinesis

The process of nuclear division during cell division.

Cytokinesis

The division of the cytoplasm and the formation of new cell walls following nuclear division.

Middle Lamella

A layer of pectin polysaccharides that acts as an adhesive between the cell walls of adjoining plant cells.

Unicellular

An organism or body form consisting of a single cell.

Multicellular

An organism or body form composed of multiple cells that are often specialized for various functions.

Siphonous

A type of plant body plan characterized by a tubular structure, commonly found in certain algae like Caulerpa.

Evolution of Multicellularity

The processes and changes that lead to the development of organisms from single-celled ancestors to multicellular forms.

Filamentous Body Plans

Multicellular structures that are composed of chains of cells in either branched or unbranched forms.