Plant Science Exam 2 Study Guide

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Plant taxonomy

A hierarchical classification system based on morphological and phylogenetic similarities among plants.

Generic name

First part of name; a singular latinized noun and is always capitalized.

Specific epithet

Second part of a name; an adjective written in lower case.

Plant classification order!

Kingdom > divisions or phyla > classes > orders > families > genera > species

Order suffix

-ales

Families suffix

-aceae

Subfamilies suffix

-oideae

Cultivars

A cultivated variety, produced by horticulture techniques.

Hybrids

The offspring of two plants of the same or closely related species differing in one or more genes.

Carolus Linnaeus

A Swedish biologist and physician who formalized binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming organisms.

Herbarium

A collection of preserved plant specimens and associated data used for scientific study.

Phylogenetic systematics

The field within biology that reconstructs evolutionary history and studies the patterns of relationships among organisms.

Cladistics

An approach to biological classification in which organisms are categorized in groups based on hypotheses of most recent common ancestry.

Synamorphy

A character or trait that is shared by two or more taxonomic groups and is derived through evolution from a common ancestral form.

Clade

A group of organisms believed to have evolved from a common ancestor, according to the principles of cladistics

Monophyletic group

A taxonomic grouping of a clade, where the grouping has its most recent ancestor and contains all the descendants.

Spores

A reproductive cell that grows directly into a new plant.

Gametes

A s3x cell; a sperm or egg.

Sperm

A male s3x cell.

Egg

A female s3x cell.

Zygote

The product of a union between a sperm and egg; a fertilized egg.

Fruit

A mature ovary.

Pedicel

The stalk of an individual flower in an inflorescence.

Receptacle

The enlarged end of flower stalk to which flower parts are attached.

Complete flower

Has all customary anatomy of a flower.

Calyx

Collectively, all of the sepals in a flower.

Sepal

A flower part that encloses and protects the bud.

Corolla

Collectively, all the petals on a flower.

Perianth

All the sepals and petals in a flower.

Tepals

A perianth part in flowers having no distinct petals or sepals.

Stamen

The male part of a flower, consisting of a filament and an anther.

Filament

The stalk of a stamen bearing an anther.

Anther

The pollen-bearing tip of a stamen

Pollen

A structure that develops from a microspore in angiosperms and gymnosperms to become a male gametophyte.

Pistil

The female part of a flower.

Stigma

Part of the pistil that receives pollen.

Style

The narrow part of a pistil bearing the stigma.

Ovary

The basal portion of a pistil that becomes the fruit.

Ovule

Structure within the ovary containing the egg cell.

Corona

The trumpetlike outgrowth of petals.

Actinomorphic flower

A flower possessing radial symmetry; any cut through the center divides the flower into two equal parts.

Zygomorphic flower

A flower divisible into two similar halves along one plane only.

Bract

A modified leaf arising below a flower or inflorescence.

Nectary

A gland secreting nectar.

Nectar

A sugary fluid secreted in some flowers.

Spur

A tubular projection of a flower.

Nectar guide

A contrasting color pattern in a flower that guides a pollinator to the nectar.

Inflorescence

A shoot bearing clusters of flowers.

Composite head

An inflorescence composed of many tightly packed, small, ray and disc flowers.

Disc flower

A small, tubular flower at the center of a composite head.

Ray flower

One of several small flowers often forming a ring around the disc flowers in a composite head.

Spadix

A spike of flowers enclosed in a spathe.

Spathe

A large bract enclosing a spadix.

Poaceae

A large family of flowering plants known as true grasses. Includes staple foods such as wheat, maize, rice, oats, etc.

Cross-pollination

The transfer of pollen to a flower on another plant.

Monoecious

Bearing separate male and female flowers on the same plant.