Biology: Adaptations and Characteristics of Kingdom Plantae and Kingdom Fungi

Complete vocabulary review of Kingdom Plantae and Kingdom Fungi based on lecture notes, covering structural adaptations, life cycles, and classification.

Cuticle

A waxy coating on plants that prevents water loss.

Stomata

Openings in leaves responsible for gas exchange.

Sporopollenin

A durable polymer that protects spores from drying out.

Apical Meristems

Regions of active growth located at root tips and shoot tips.

Xylem

Vascular tissue that transports water throughout the plant.

Phloem

Vascular tissue that transports sugars throughout the plant.

Sporophyte

The diploid ($2n$) stage of the plant life cycle that produces spores by meiosis.

Gametophyte

The haploid ($n$) stage of the plant life cycle that produces gametes by mitosis.

Rhizoids

Root-like anchors found in nonvascular plants such as mosses.

Seta

The stalk structure found in Phylum Bryophyta (mosses).

Capsule

The sporangium in mosses that produces spores.

Gemmae Cups

Structures in liverworts used for asexual reproduction by producing gemmae.

Microphyll

The specific type of leaves found in Phylum Lycophyta (club mosses).

Strobili

Structures in Phylum Lycophyta that produce spores.

Node

The point on a horsetail stem where a leaf attaches.

Internode

The region of the stem located between two nodes.

Fronds

The leaves of plants belonging to Phylum Pterophyta (ferns).

Sori

Clusters of sporangia located on the underside of fern fronds.

Prothallus

The gametophyte of a fern, containing rhizoids, antheridia, and archegonia.

Gymnosperms

Seed plants that produce "naked seeds" not enclosed in fruit, such as conifers.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed within fruit.

Hypha

The basic filament of a fungus; plural is hyphae.

Mycelium

A network of hyphae; plural is mycelia.

Septate Hyphae

Hyphae divided by septa, usually containing $1-2$ nuclei per compartment; found in Ascomycota and Basidiomycota.

Coenocytic Hyphae

Hyphae that lack septa and contain many nuclei; found in Chytridiomycota and Zygomycota.

Haustoria

Finger-like feeding structures that digest food externally and absorb nutrients.

Plasmogamy

The fusion of cytoplasm in fungal reproduction, resulting in a heterokaryotic ($n+n$) stage.

Karyogamy

The fusion of nuclei in fungal reproduction, producing a diploid ($2n$) zygote.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizae

A mutualistic relationship between plant roots and fungi of Phylum Glomeromycota.

Ascocarp

The fruiting body of Phylum Ascomycota (sac fungi).

Asci

Sac-like structures within an ascocarp, each producing $8$ ascospores.

Apothecium

A cup-shaped type of ascocarp.

Cleistothecium

A closed-structure type of ascocarp.

Perithecium

A flask-shaped type of ascocarp.

Basidiocarp

The fruiting body of Phylum Basidiomycota (club fungi), such as a mushroom.

Basidia

Club-shaped structures on the gills of mushrooms that produce $4$ basidiospores each.

Deuteromycota

A group known as "imperfect fungi" because their sexual stage is unknown; example: Penicillium notatum.

Lichens

A mutualistic relationship between a fungus and algae, where the fungus provides water and minerals and the algae provides glucose.

Fruticose

A shrub-like growth form of lichens.

Foliose

A leaf-like growth form of lichens.

Crustose

A crust-like growth form of lichens.