Key Takeaways for Plant Biology

This set of flashcards covers key concepts related to plant biology, including definitions of plant structures, stages of the alternation of generations, and key differences between vascular and non-vascular plants.

Plant

An organism that belongs to the kingdom Plantae, characterized by being multicellular, photosynthetic, and having cell walls made of cellulose.

Alternation of Generations

The life cycle of plants that alternates between haploid (gametophyte) and diploid (sporophyte) stages.

Haploid

A cell or organism having a single set of unpaired chromosomes, symbolized as n.

Diploid

A cell or organism having two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent, symbolized as 2n.

Adaptations of Land Plants

Features that have evolved in land plants to enhance survival on land, such as roots, stems, leaves, and reproductive structures.

Vascular Plants

Plants that have tissues (xylem and phloem) for the transport of water, nutrients, and food.

Non-Vascular Plants

Plants that lack specialized tissues for transport; they typically absorb water and nutrients directly through their surfaces.

Sporophyte Dominant

In this life cycle stage, the diploid sporophyte generation is the dominant, independent, and photosynthetic stage.

Gametophyte Dominant

In this life cycle stage, the haploid gametophyte generation is the dominant, independent, and photosynthetic stage.