Exploring Plant-like Protist Diversity and Plant Evolution

A set of 50 vocabulary flashcards based on the lecture notes covering plant-like protists and the evolution of plants.

Eukaryota

Domain comprising all organisms with complex cells containing a nucleus.

SAR Clade

A highly diverse group of protists defined by DNA similarities, including Stramenopiles, Alveolates, and Rhizarians.

Stramenopiles

A clade that includes diatoms and brown algae, characterized by hairy flagella.

Alveolates

A group of protists with membrane-bound sacs (alveoli) beneath their plasma membranes.

Rhizarians

A diverse group of protists, many of which are amoeboid and have threadlike pseudopodia.

Diatoms

Unicellular algae with a glass-like wall made of silica, important for phytoplankton.

Phytoplankton

Microscopic marine algae that play a critical role in aquatic food chains.

Diatomaceous Earth

Sedimentary earth rich in fossilized diatom walls, used as a filter and abrasive.

Brown Algae

Multicellular algae, such as kelps, which have complex structures and a dominant diploid phase.

Heteromorphic Generations

Generations with different structures in the life cycle of algae.

Isomorphic Generations

Generations that have similar structures in the life cycle.

Chlamydomonas

A model single-celled green algae used in studies of cell biology.

Pyrenoids

Structures within chloroplasts of algae that are sites for starch synthesis.

Lichens

Symbiotic associations between fungi and photosynthetic microorganisms, such as algae or cyanobacteria.

Sphagnum

A genus of mosses that forms peat and plays an important role in carbon accumulation.

Bryophytes

Non-vascular plants, including mosses, liverworts, and hornworts.

Gametophyte

The dominant haploid generation in bryophytes that produces gametes.

Sporophyte

The multicellular diploid form of a plant, producing spores through meiosis.

Antheridia

Structures that produce male gametes in plants.

Archegonia

Structures that produce female gametes in plants.

Xylem

The vascular tissue responsible for water transportation in plants.

Phloem

The vascular tissue responsible for transporting sugars and nutrients in plants.

Megasporangium

Structure that produces megaspores in seed plants.

Microsporangium

Structure that produces microspores in seed plants.

Gymnosperms

Seed plants that produce seeds not enclosed in an ovary, commonly known as 'naked seeds'.

Angiosperms

Seed plants with flowers and fruits, known for their reproductive adaptations.

Ovule

The structure in a seed plant that develops into a seed after fertilization.

Endosperm

The tissue that nourishes the developing embryo in a seed.

Sori

Clusters of sporangia on the underside of fern leaves.

Flagellated Sperm

Sperm that are motile by means of flagella, found in many non-seed plants.

Sporophylls

Modified leaves that bear sporangia in vascular plants.

Microphylls

Small leaves with a single vascular vein, characteristic of certain plants like lycophytes.

Megaphylls

Larger leaves with a highly branched vascular system, found in most vascular plants.

Pollination

The transfer of pollen from the male structure to the female structure of plants.

Double Fertilization

A unique angiosperm process where one sperm fertilizes the egg and another fuses with two polar nuclei.

Fruit

A mature ovary that protects seeds and aids in their dispersal.

Cotyledons

Seed leaves that provide nourishment to the developing plant embryo.

Strobili

Cone-like structures formed from groups of sporophylls in some plants.

Dioecious

Plants that have male and female reproductive structures on separate individuals.

Monocots

Angiosperms with one cotyledon in their seeds.

Dicots

Angiosperms with two cotyledons in their seeds.

Life Cycle of Chlamydomonas

A haplontic cycle with a dominant haploid phase and no alternation of generations.

Lycophyta

A division of seedless vascular plants, including club mosses.

Monilophyta

A division of seedless vascular plants that includes ferns.

Cycads

Ancient seed plants with flagellated sperm, predominating during the Mesozoic era.

Ginkgo Biloba

A living fossil, known for its high pollution tolerance and unique fan-shaped leaves.

Gnetophyta

A group of gymnosperms comprising three genera with diverse characteristics, known for their vessel elements.