Ferns and Fern Allies Lecture Review

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to ferns and fern allies, their life cycles, structures, and diversity.

Vascular plants

Branched off about 430 MYA, giving rise to true stems, leaves, and eventually roots; led to increased plant diversity, deep soil development, and reduced CO2 levels.

Alternating Generations

The plant life cycle involves a Diploid (2n) generation and a Haploid (1n) generation, which can be either gametophyte or sporophyte dominant.

Sporophyte evolution

The transition from a single un-branched sporangia to roots, stems, and leaves; from gametophyte-dependent to independent with specialized structures.

Pteridophytes

A group of plants characterized by enlarged flattened leaves with netted veins, increasing photosynthesis and sporangia production, and adventitious roots.

Tree ferns

A growth habit of ferns forming a trunk-like stem.

Epiphytic ferns

Ferns that grow on other plants, not in soil.

Aquatic ferns

Ferns that grow in water, either floating or partially submerged.

Ground ferns

Perennial herbaceous ferns that grow in the soil.

Climbing ferns

Ferns that grow as vines, capable of climbing.

Seedless Vascular Plants

Plants with a dominant/independent sporophyte, vascular tissues, stems, leaves, adventitious roots, and cell wall lignification.

Dominant/Independent Sporophyte

The prominent and self-sufficient generation in the life cycle of seedless vascular plants.

Vascular Tissues

Xylem and phloem, specialized tissues for transporting water, nutrients, and sugars throughout the plant.

Adventitious Roots

Roots that emerge from the stem, rather than from a primary root, common in ferns and fern allies.

Cell wall lignification

The process where plant cell walls become strengthened with lignin, providing structural support.

Fiddle head

The coiled, young frond of a fern that unrolls as it develops.

Sporophyte (2n)

The diploid generation in plants that produces spores via meiosis.

Gametophyte (1n)

The haploid generation in plants that produces gametes via mitosis.

Spores (1n)

Haploid reproductive cells produced by the sporophyte, which germinate to form the gametophyte.

Zygote (2n)

A diploid cell formed by the fusion of gametes, which develops into a sporophyte.

Sori

Clusters of sporangia, typically found on the underside of fern leaves.

Sporangia

Structures in which spores are produced and released.

Fertile Frond

A fern leaf specialized for bearing sori or sporangia.

Bryophyte sporophyte

A single sporangia, which is typically dependent on the gametophyte for nutrition and support.

Sporogenesis

The process of spore formation, involving meiosis within the sporangium.

Sporogenous tissue

The internal tissue within a sporangium that undergoes meiosis to produce spores.

Sterile jacket

The outer, protective layer of a sporangium.

Gametogenesis

The process of gamete formation.

Archegonia (1n)

Female reproductive organs on the gametophyte that produce eggs.

Antheridia (1n)

Male reproductive organs on the gametophyte that produce sperm.

Fertilization

The fusion of gametes (egg and sperm) to form a diploid zygote.

Hermaphroditic gametophyte

A gametophyte that produces both archegonia (eggs) and antheridia (sperm).

Sporophyte development

The growth process where a diploid zygote develops into a mature sporophyte, forming stems, leaves, and adventitious roots.

Lycophytes

A group of 'fern allies' with independent sporophytes, characterized by bract-like leaves (microphylls) and stems serving above and below ground functions.

Psilotum

A relative of ferns (pteridophyte) lacking true leaves and roots, using underground rhizomes and rhizoids, with sporangia in clusters of three.

Rhizoids

Root-like structures that anchor the gametophyte and absorb water and nutrients.

Rhizomes

Underground horizontal stems from which roots and shoots can emerge.

Equisetum

Also known as horsetails, a close relative of ferns (pteridophyte) possessing roots but lacking macrophylls, often with distinct jointed stems and strobili.

Strobilus

Cone-like structures composed of spore-bearing leaves (sporophylls), found in Equisetum and some Lycophytes.

Scale trees

Ancient tree Lycopods from the Carboniferous Era, characterized by bark with many leaf scars from scale-like leaves, ancestors of club mosses.

Microphylls (lycophylls)

Small, scale-like leaves with a single, unbranched vein, characteristic of Lycophytes.

Sporophylls

Modified leaves that bear sporangia, involved in spore production.

Vegetative Microphylls

Microphylls that are primarily involved in photosynthesis and not directly in reproduction.

Resurrection Plant (Selaginella lepidophylla)

A type of Selaginella known for its ability to withstand extreme desiccation and rehydrate.

Carboniferous period

A geological period (ca. 360-300 MYA) known for lush forests of ferns and fern allies, which contributed to coal deposits.

Fiddleheads of Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)

Edible young, coiled fronds of the Ostrich Fern, commonly eaten in the Northeastern US.