Plant Biology Terms

P. magnoliophyta

flowering plants and fruit

sepals

Leaflike parts that cover and protect the flower bud

stamen

Male part of the flower

filament

the stalk of a stamen

anther

the round part of a stamen that contains the pollen.

carpal

holds ovule

stigma

the top portion of the ovule

style

The stalk of a flower's carpel, with the ovary at the base and the stigma at the top.

ovary

A flower structure that encloses and protects ovules and seeds as they develop.

pericarp

ovary wall

seed coat

tough covering that surrounds and protects the plant embryo and keeps the contents of the seed from drying out

endosperm

food-rich tissue that nourishes a seedling as it grows

Isogamy

gametes are equal in size

Anisogamy

gametes of different sizes (micro and mega)

Heterospory

production of different types of spores

Homospory

production of a single type of spore

monoecious

micro and mega gametes or spores

dioicious

individuals have micro or mega gametes or spores

monocots

one cotyledon, floral parts in multiples of 3, parallel veins, scattered vascular bundles.

eudicots

two cotyledons, vascular bundles in a ring, netted veins, floral parts in multiples of 4-5.

Aggregate

fruit formed from several separate carpels

meiosis

cell division, reduces # chromosomes in half to produce 4 gametes

Mitosis

cell division, single cell makes 2 identical daughter cells

Gamete

mature haploid germ cell, can unite with other to make zygote

Zygote

first diploid cell formed when sperm and egg fuse in fertilization

haploid

single set of chromosomes

diploid

two sets of chromosomes

Gymnosperms

cone-bearing plants

pinophyta

a division of gymnosperms that include confiers

cycadophyta

dioecious plants that look like palms but are unrelated.

Ginkophyta

Dioecious, one species extant today, type of gymnosperm

Gnetophyta

mostly dioecious, sister to conifers. Type of gymnosperm.

Pollen cone 

microgametophyte, male

Seed cone 

megagametophyte, female

Pollenation

transfer of pollen from one cone/flower to another

propagules

cells/structures that can detach, disperse, and start a new plant.

indehiscent 

seed stays inside pericarp

dehiscent

seed explodes out of pericarp under high pressure

Failed seed predation

adaption of plant to attract predators