BIO lecture

Viridiplantae

The group that includes green algae and land plants.

Ecosystem Services

Benefits provided by plants, including oxygen production and climate moderation.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants convert sunlight into chemical energy.

Chloroplasts

Organelles where photosynthesis takes place in plant cells.

Vascular Tissue

Specialized tissue that conducts water and nutrients in plants.

Spores

Reproductive cells that are capable of developing into a new organism, produced by non-seed plants.

Gametophyte

The multicellular haploid stage in the life cycle of plants.

Sporophyte

The multicellular diploid stage in the life cycle of plants.

Cuticle

A waxy layer that prevents water loss from plant surfaces.

Lignin

A complex organic polymer that provides structural support to plant cell walls.

Heterospory

The production of two distinct types of spores by different structures.

Double Fertilization

A unique feature of angiosperms where one sperm fertilizes the egg and another fuses with two nuclei to form endosperm.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed in fruits.

Gymnosperms

Seed-producing plants that do not form flowers or fruits.

Nonvascular Plants

Plants that lack vascular tissue, such as mosses and liverworts.

Seedless Vascular Plants

Plants that have vascular tissue but do not produce seeds, such as ferns.

Primary Producers

Organisms that produce energy-rich organic compounds from sunlight, primarily land plants.

Pollination

The transfer of pollen from the male part to the female part of a flower.

Symbiotic Fungi

Fungi that form beneficial relationships with plants, often aiding in nutrient absorption.

Embryophyta

The formal name for land plants, indicating their embryo-nourishing characteristics.